When 20-year-old A’myah Wilson traveled to the Dominican Republic in July as part of a UNCG study abroad trip, she knew it would open her eyes to public health in other nations. What she wasn’t expecting was for it to reshape her philosophy on patient treatment.
Wilson, a third-year student from Charlotte majoring in Public Health Education, was one of 16 students from different public health-focused majors on the two week trip, led by faculty member Dr. Andrea Lewis. They worked with local communities around Santiago, Dominican Republic, on public health initiatives that included health education sessions, community assessments, and cultural activities. The students stayed in local homestays so they could connect with area residents and the community’s culture.
The trip gave me a real eye-opening look at public health in action. I practiced taking vital signs and worked in clinics, but I also did home visits where I saw how people’s living situations directly affected their health
Visiting a batey (a village for sugar company workers) showed me how deep the connection is between history, poverty, and health. Crowded conditions, lack of resources, and limited access to care are all tied to decades of discrimination and economic hardship
A’myah Wilson
Even doing a cable car tour made her realize public health in the Dominican Republic is different.
“Even though the views were amazing, the amount of trash piled up everywhere was shocking,” Wilson said. “It made me realize how much environmental health and sanitation impact a community’s well-being. Seeing all these pieces together — the clinical care, the living conditions, the environmental challenges — helped me understand that public health isn’t just about treating illness. It’s about looking at the whole picture. This experience showed me how important it is to listen and learn with humility and consider all these layers if I want to truly help communities in the future.”
Wilson said the difference in public and private hospitals was also surprising. Public hospitals seemed understaffed. Patients waited in crowded rooms with no privacy and there were no hand sanitizer stations available. Private hospitals felt cleaner and more organized. While there were some hand sanitizer stations, many were empty. In addition, although there were more rooms, privacy was still limited.
“Seeing all this first-hand helped me better understand the issues of health care accessibility and equity and why it’s so important to consider these factors when working in global health,” Wilson said. “It was shocking to see such a lack of resources and basic safety practices that we take for granted in the U.S. It made me rethink what ‘standard’ health care really means.”
Wilson said everyone she interacted with was warm and welcoming. Her experience showed her that in addition to practicing medicine, listening to and understanding what a patient is saying is just as important a skill in the public health profession.
In addition to helping with clinical tasks, UNCG students also helped fill prescriptions at a pharmacy, painted a community gathering place, and attended lectures on topics such as identity, insurance, and health systems, giving context to what the students saw in the field. “The trip gave me so much more than I expected — not just the clinical skills and public health knowledge, but real-life experience seeing how culture, history, and social factors shape health,” Wilson said. “Living with a local family and being part of the community made it feel personal and unforgettable. It wasn’t always easy. There were moments that challenged me and pushed me out of my comfort zone — but that’s exactly what made it worth it.”
Wilson, who is already a certified nursing assistant (CNA), hopes to attend graduate school and become a physician assistant specializing in obstetrics and gynecology upon graduating from UNCG.
I realized how much easier my life is just because of where I was born. Access to health care, education, safety, and opportunities that I might take for granted are things others struggle for every day
A’myah Wilson
“That awareness hit me hard and made me feel a responsibility to use those privileges wisely. It motivates me to work harder, not just for myself, but to help create opportunities and better care for people who don’t have what I do. Knowing this pushes me to be more humble, more aware, and more determined to make a real difference.”
By Sarah Newell