In a world where access to essential healthcare services remains inequitable, recent data from the World Health Organization paints a stark reality: more than half of the global population lacks access to these vital resources. From April 30th to May 6th, 23 students from UMHS's Med4You traveled to San Joaquin de Masion, Nicoya Costa Rica to provide healthcare services, compassion, and care to a community in need. In collaboration with the UMHS Global Health Institute and Vida Volunteers, and guided by esteemed faculty members Dr. Jagadeesh Nagappa and Dr. Lata Gowda, the students put their medical education to practical use —delivering vital healthcare services and reaffirming their dedication to serving others.
Students from UMHS's Med4You with a patient in Costa Rica.
Delivering on its vision to improve access to care
Med4You was founded by a UMHS student with a mission to “learn and disseminate knowledge about the diversity of healthcare systems in the world, support disadvantaged communities, and advocate for healthcare access as a human right.” The student-run, nonprofit organization has hosted community health events in St. Kitts and provided healthcare and medical aid in Guatemala and Puerto Rico. This year, Med4You returned to Costa Rica with Vida Volunteers for the second time, focusing on the Nicoya Peninsula. UMHS students collaborated with local physicians to provide a range of medical services, including examinations, assessments, and vital sign checks. Throughout the clinic, 153 patients of all ages, from newborns to the elderly, received thorough care.
“Our focus is to treat people in low socioeconomic areas and give our best, treating them with love, respect, and empathy,” said Med4You president and UMHS student ambassador Claudette Tomas Lluberes. “We checked the vital signs for every patient and if a patient had a specific complaint, then we would try to dig into it to find what's causing it. Our diagnoses varied from the most basic, like the flu or a gastrointestinal disease from drinking non-potable water to multiple sclerosis. We had one renal stage-five patient and one possible myocardial infarction. If medications were available on-site, the local doctors prescribed them. Otherwise, patients received medication the following day.”
Prevalent health concerns included dehydration, lumbar radiculopathy, hypertension, diabetes, depression, and scabies. Despite limited access to regular medical treatment, the Nicoya Peninsula is recognized as a “Blue Zone” for its high percentage of centenarians. Students noted the community’s resilience, often traveling long distances by foot or bus to reach the clinic. Claudette even made a house call to check on a patient's 99-year-old aunt.
A student from UMHS's Med4You treating a patient in Costa Rica.
Three years to see a doctor?
UMHS student Andrea Isabel Alvarado Zarate noted that some patients were enrolled in Costa Rica’s universal healthcare program, but frequently face long wait times.
“If you have a chronic illness, you have to be added to a list for treatment. The care is good, but they don't have enough resources for good management,” she said. “For example, I had a patient who came because he couldn't see and he said, ‘I have an appointment with the doctor, but it's in three years.’ The wait times for treatment are so long that the patients’ diseases or conditions get worse - even if they're insured.”
A transformative learning experience
The clinic not only provided much-needed healthcare to an underserved community, but the Med4You students also gained invaluable hands-on experience.
“I had never seen osteomyelitis as a product of diabetes mellitus,” said Claudette. “The patient had a lot of ulcers in her legs and her feet and she had one opening that was almost getting to the bone. She previously had an osteomyelitis infection, so we suspected that that particular ulcer was on her way also for the bone infection.”
Beyond the hands-on learning, Andrea noted that working in the clinic left an indelible impression.
“Our first patient in Costa Rica, and we're still figuring everything out. As we were talking to her and taking her history, her body language was uncomfortable. I was so worried thinking the whole time, ‘Am I doing something wrong? Am I making her uncomfortable?’ We were asking a lot of questions because she had a lot of health issues - radiculopathy, diabetes, hypertension. After we took the time to ask questions and listen, she cried and told us her story about an experience with a doctor that shattered her trust. She said she felt heard by us. We were so humbled and it was touching. I will always keep her with me.”
Claudette also recognized the impact on the community and was affected by the hurdles the patients had to overcome to access medical care.
“It didn’t matter how much time they had to wait outside under the sun, they would wait to get seen and to be treated,” she said. “And all of them went out happy and satisfied, even though we maybe couldn't treat all of it or maybe prescribe the medications for their current chronic illness. I believe they were all very grateful for our help there in those days.”
What students considering participating in a medical mission trip should know
“Something that future students should be aware of is that we are not taking a glamorous trip,” said Claudette. “We are doing a community trip and you might see and experience some things you’re not used to. We had some scorpions in our hotel. We had a strict schedule. You have to be open to anything that could happen and be prepared for what you are going to do. It's the same with treating the patients. You should be open-minded because not every patient is going to be the same.
“It was super hot, and I think that was one of the hardest parts,” said Andrea. “We were working under a tin roof, so we were sweating, we were getting dizzy, had to drink water, and trying to work while feeling like that is tough. You're not going to a hotel with AC, you're going to places where there are poor people that need your help so be prepared to encounter anything, adapt, and work through every challenge.”
“And for English-speaking people, if Med4You goes again to a Spanish-speaking country, don't be discouraged. We were able to work around that so don’t be intimidated because there are ways we made it work.”
A student from UMHS's Med4You posing with child patients in Costa Rica.
Learning the meaning of compassionate care
The Med4You trip to Costa Rica demonstrated the need to continue doing humanitarian healthcare work in developing countries, and participating students described the impact the experience had on them.
“This opportunity helps you to define and clarify the type of doctor you want to be,” said Claudette. “You are exposed to things that maybe you are not used to seeing. It's an experience that helps you discover how to build a doctor-patient relationship. I believe that helps you a lot.”
“This experience taught me that you don't know what any person's been going through,” said Andrea. “You need to listen. It doesn't matter if the patient comes from the top of the class or if it's on the lowest, I'm treating the person, not specifically the disease. I liked putting that into practice during this clinic and will try to keep that with me whether I go to a lower socioeconomic place or a high-income area. I just want to treat the person and do my best.”
Participants praised the clinic for sharpening their medical skills and reinforcing their commitment to medicine.
UMHS student María Iñigo expressed gratitude for the opportunity, saying, “The Costa Rica trip reassured me that this is what I want to do for the rest of my life. It was very gratifying, and will drive me to keep studying and hopefully soon I’ll be working in the hospital.”
Alondra Diaz Ramos echoed the sentiment, calling the trip “a lifetime opportunity of reassurance” in fulfilling their purpose as future physicians.
Megan is a Public Relations & Communications Consultant for UMHS. When she's not working with UMHS faculty, students and alumni to promote their expertise through media coverage and special events, she enjoys spending time outdoors in her hometown of San Diego.
