I am a second-year family medicine resident planning to travel with the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and San Lucas Mission to provide primary care through satellite clinics in villages around Lake Atitlán, Guatemala. Our team (10-12 medical students and 4-5 faculty physicians/residents) will work alongside local health promoters to triage patients, manage common acute illnesses, address chronic conditions, provide maternal/child health counseling, and connect patients to the mission clinic/hospital when higher-level care is needed. This partnership brings no-cost, culturally informed care to communities that otherwise face long travel distances and financial barriers. The scholarship will help cover travel so I can participate fully and direct more of my limited funds toward clinical supplies and follow-up resources.
Residents of rural indigenous communities in and around San Lucas Tolimán, Guatemala—particularly families with limited access to physicians, hospitals, and reliable transportation. Many households rely on coffee agriculture and experience poverty that compounds barriers to care. The region faces preventable maternal and child health complications, chronic malnutrition, and untreated chronic disease. Because formal healthcare infrastructure is sparse, many people depend on the mission clinic and community health promoters; our project strengthens that safety net and helps reach patients who cannot travel for care.
During the trip, we expect to evaluate and treat hundreds of patients at satellite clinics, provide medications when available, deliver focused health education, and identify cases needing referral to the mission clinic/hospital. The longer-term impact comes from continuity: the team returns twice yearly, and other visiting medical/surgical groups provide care throughout the year. We will share visit summaries and priority needs with local clinicians and support ongoing training for community health promoters so they can recognize red flags, reinforce prevention, and help patients follow treatment plans between trips. I will also bring lessons back to my residency—especially around low-resource diagnostics, culturally humble communication, and community partnership models.
Had the opportunity to serve the area of San Lucas Toliman and surrounding towns. Our team held daily clinics and we provided care to people of all ages and children.
