Dominica Reflection

When I signed up for the Dominica Rotation I never expected that it would have such a great impact on my future as a pharmacist. I feel extremely honored that I was able to be a part of this rotation! I met wonderful future pharmacists and worked with current pharmacists who are making a big difference in an entire country. I hope that in the future I will be able to continue making a difference in Dominica and be able to share my experiences with everyone I know.

I learned so much while I was in Dominica. I not only learned about herbal and bush medicine, but I also learned about humanity and a culture that is completely different than the United States. Domincan's are extremely caring and very friendly to new people. They open their arms to all which was seen by the staff at Jungle Bay as well as each member of the community. There was not a day that went by that I didn't meet someone who was wonderful and giving.

The schools that we attended were incredible as well. The teachers were wonderful with their students and each student was unique! They welcomed us into their classrooms to share with them and also to learn from them! We were able to work with the students and teach them about pharmacy and what we will do as future pharmacists. We also spent time getting to know the students and what they wanted to do when they were done with school. We were able to meet various members of their families within the community and also at the schools.

The health clinics were a wonderful way that we talked with individuals in the community. We shared our expert information with people and they really listened to what we had to say! It was also nice being able to spend as much time as we needed to with patients! Sometimes at work in the US we don't have as much time to sit down with patients and answer all of the questions that they may have. It was a very refreshing experience and made me realize the importance of finding the time for each patient! We held the first health fair ever in Dominica which gave community members a chance to ask questions, take home informative pamphlets and various gifts we had for different disease states. This will only continue to grow and be successful in the future which will mean making a difference in more people's lives!


Overall, I am very happy with everything that I learned on the rotation as well as everything I was able to contribute to the community!