USD Nursing Students to Provide Health Care in Guatemala
Students will work with residents in and near Los Jometes, a small community in the middle region of the Central American nation, beginning in Fall 2016.
Kathy Magorian, USD’s Nursing Department academic director, said planned activities for nursing students include doing school screenings in rural villages, making referrals to primary care outpatient clinics and leading education sessions with local teachers. "The option to participate in a cultural immersion clinical experience on a global level while learning nursing skills will be an incredible opportunity for our students,” she said.
The clinic, organized by USD Nursing and the USD Center for Academic and Global Engagement, promotes a mission of the University of South Dakota for its students to become more aware of global cultures while receiving real-world experience in a specific field. USD student nurses will be working at the clinic for one week.
“Through these international programs, our students learn that public health and access to health care are global concerns,” said Michael J. Lawler, dean and professor, USD School of Health Sciences.