An Update from Our Interpreters
Brothers Octavio and Francisco Lozaro were medical students at the Universidad del Valle in Cochabamba when they began volunteering with Puente de Solidaridad (PdS). At their invitation, other classmates followed and soon we were blessed with an enthusiastic crew of medical student volunteers.
The Lozaro brothers volunteering on one of their first mission trips with Solidarity Bridge in 2017.
Solidarity Bridge mission trips in Bolivia are coordinated locally by PdS and focus on training and mentoring in four specialties of complex surgery. Because our focus has been on training in advanced procedures, we have always prioritized the involvement of experienced physicians over students.
However in recent years, this cohort of bilingual medical students have made important contributions to our work, serving as medical interpreters for our mission teams. Their technical fluency and intimate understanding of Bolivian culture have been an invaluable addition to the shared mission of Puente de Solidaridad and Solidarity Bridge (SB) since 2017. Meanwhile, they have received opportunities to develop important relationships with Bolivian and US doctors, who have become mentors in their continued study.
Marcela Canedo, PdS Coordinator of Public Action, has worked closely with these student volunteers, fostering a spirit of Christian community and encouraging personal growth. Through the mission experience they have gained not only medical knowledge, but also a deeper understanding of solidarity and how it relates to their chosen vocation as medical professionals.
With many aspects of their training on pause due to the COVID-19 crisis, we checked in with them to learn how they are using their time in quarantine and what their plans are for the future. Many of our missioners will recognize the faces of these outstanding young men and women who have become an integral part of our solidarity family. Amid the challenges of this global health crisis, we give thanks for their continued passion to provide healing care.
Nicole Sanchez, 5 mission trips
“This solidarity family has been incredibly important to me. I obviously want to continue volunteering with PdS and SB, possibly as a contributing physician in the not so distant future. I am currently studying for my final medical school exam. After that I plan to apply for a Neurosurgery residency in the United States.”
Denisse Ibañez, 6 mission trips
“My first mission was the multispecialty mission trip to Mizque in 2018. I remember being a bit afraid of meeting the doctors and translating for them. But everyone was so kind, and soon all my worries disappeared. It was heartwarming to see how the team cared for the patients and everyone around them. Before the missions I was undecided between being an allergist or a surgeon, but as I participated in more mission trips, it became clear that I wanted to become a surgeon. I love being in the operating room and, more importantly, I want to be like the doctors I have met through PdS and SB. I want to have the knowledge and ability to help as many people as I can, always remembering the human dimension.
Right now I am preparing my paperwork to apply for a medical residency in the U.S. Unfortunately, all the immigration visas have stopped. I’m hoping and praying that the pandemic ends soon and the world goes back to normal.”
Francisco (Frank) Lozaro, 7 mission trips
“In 2019, I finished my final year of school and my internship. I worked in hospitals across the city as well as a three-month rural service rotation in the town of Tiraque, about 1.5 hours from Cochabamba. I experienced and witnessed some truly incredible things. The rural experience along with volunteering with PdS over the past three years has taught me a lot about working with limited resources. It has also solidified my interest in helping those of lower socioeconomic means.
At the moment I am studying for my Step 2 medical licensing exam. I am also waiting for my final medical school exam to be scheduled to allow me to graduate. However the state is waiting for the COVID situation to resolve. We are petitioning for them to waive the exam requirement or provide an alternative so that we can help out at clinics around the country. My plan is to move to the US this fall and apply for medical residency with the goal of starting in July 2021. Hopefully the COVID situation will improve and allow things to go back to normal in the next few months.”
Paméla Villaroel, 3 mission trips
“I am currently completing my last year in the Physical Therapy program, but we are now on pause until the quarantine and worldwide crisis is over. I am taking online classes so I won't fall behind. I can't wait to go back to a somewhat normal routine. I would love to continue being part of future missions with Solidarity Bridge and helping others. It has been such a great journey working alongside everyone in PdS/SB. I hope everyone stays safe.”
Octavio Lozaro, 3 mission trips
“My experiences with PdS and SB taught me that this model of working with and not just for the people serves as an example of how mission work should be done all around the world. You can have a much greater impact when you partner with a team that continues to provide care for the patients after a mission trip is over. Being a part of that team dynamic has been an incredibly rewarding experience and motivates me to be a better physician.
In 2019 I completed two clerkships in emergency medicine in the US. One at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota and the other at Regions Hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota. In March of this year I received the news that I matched to the Emergency Medicine Residency Program at the Mayo Clinic. In June I moved to the U.S. and began my residency on July 1.”