Tatyana Reyes

International Experience Country:
Costa Rica
Cohort Year:
2021
Home Institution:

University of Pittsburgh | Greensburg

International Experience Summary:

Tatyana Reyes traveled to Costa Rica this past summer to study global healthcare. During her time abroad, Tatyana’s perspective of the world had changed. She realized that each population throughout the world suffers distinct diseases native to the land in which they live. This causes a different therapeutic approach that Tatyana is unfamiliar with within healing each patient. Before studying abroad, Tatyana was only familiar with western medicine. However, she now understands that preventing disease is more valuable than treating diseases. The mechanics of preventing the onset of diseases is education. Education of what the disease is, how the disease spreads, and how to avoid becoming infected with the disease is the most effective tool in maintaining the well-being of communities worldwide.

As part of the VIH program, Tatyana plans to help bring modernized health care to developing countries where she can assist those who need it most. Her resilience and passion to always try to see what she can do to brighten up people’s days were all a part of her experience. Her fierceness aids in her desire to fight for what she believes in. Like two sides of the same coin, she also has a kind and caring side reserved for any who needs it. She cares about improving the wellbeing of others and obtains her own fulfillment from helping the community around her. Tatyana enjoyed the fast-paced environment where she could also take the time to give each person the individual attention they need.

Community Engagement Experience Summary:

CEE Title:   Global Health Workshop: Global diseases and the impact in a post-pandemic world  

In the summer of 2021, I had the opportunity to study abroad at the University of Veritas in San Jose, Costa Rica. In this uniquely small university, enriched with diversity that students brought from throughout the globe, I studied Costa Rican Healthcare and Tropical Diseases. In this course, I was able to apply the medical knowledge learned throughout the class to my CEE project. The goal of my CEE idea was to enlighten the Pitt-Greensburg community about the transmission of tropical diseases, shed light on preventing future pandemics, and discuss the relevance of global healthcare workers. The diseases included in the workshop were Scabies, Helminths, Nematodes, Cutaneous Larva Migrans, and Tuberculosis. Within the presentation, we elaborated on the disease processes that take place upon infection. We included the definition of the diseases, how transmission occurs, which geographic regions transmission is most prominent, symptoms, and complications. In addition, we discussed the importance of being proactive in eliminating the spread of diseases to prevent epidemics from turning into pandemics. This can be done by proper hand hygiene, staying home when sick, being consistent with health physically, and practicing self-care. Furthermore, we discussed ways that Pitt-Greensburg healthcare students could have future careers working throughout the globe. Overall, encouraging ways to enhance the well-being of individuals worldwide.