¡Trece Días Hasta Puerto Rico!

The countdown nearly ends -- 13 days until the most epic summer adventure is underway.

Destination: Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
Departure: July 5, 2011
Duration: 7 weeks
Deal: Funding courtesy of NYU's International Health Program
Doing: Clinic experience + Hypertension project

Many of you followed the story closely as my partner in crime, Avanti, and I struggled against the IRB to conduct our research in Puerto Rico this summer. With the support of some amazing faculty and staff, we managed to find a way to continue our project for the summer despite some major setbacks.  To add to the excitement, we will also be featured on a Puerto Rican doctor radio show to educate the masses about the importance of proper hypertension management.

As the last extended summer break of my life approaches, I am satisfied to be using the time in a way that both adds to my education and career, but also allows for some good old traveling fun.   While we won't be exploring Europe like some of our other IHP compatriots, we will be getting very intimate with the tropical island of Puerto Rico. Among some of the adventures we were recommended to go see are the bioluminescent beaches, local-led boat tours of the island, exploring old San Juan, taking on the rain forest, and trekking through old caves. Dare I also mention that we will be renting a house on the beach in Rincón? All things considered, I am pretty sure that I am about to embark on the most seriously fun 7 weeks of my life.

I should also do some PR work (pun intended) by advertising the clinic experience we will be getting in the Mayagüez Migrant Health Center where we will attempt to perfect our medical Spanish, and highlight our project on hypertension that will allow us to explore how effectively the patients we see are managing their high blood pressure as we try to make a difference in the community through educational outreach.

Finally, I will be blogging my experiences for prospective NYU med students throughout the summer. My blog, as well as some other student blogs, will be published to the NYU students website sometime in July, so stay tuned for the link as well as for some serious updates with photos!