Cross-Cultural Experiences During the Neurology Peru-Rochester Exchange Program
Karlo Lizarraga1, Natalia Chunga Iturry3, Luis Miguel Quispe Moore4, Jorge Risco2, Blanca Valdovinos2, Victor Fernandez Macedo5, Isabel Camargo Salazar5, Ralph Jozefowicz2
1Neurology, University of Rochester, 2University of Rochester, 3Louisiana State University, 4Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, 5Universidad Nacional de San Agustin de Arequipa
Objective:
To explore the cross-cultural experiences of trainees who participate in the neurology Peru-Rochester exchange program (NeuroPro).
Background:
International exchange programs offer unique opportunities to foster cross-cultural learning. The NeuroPro was established in 2020 through agreements between the University of Rochester (UR), Universidad Nacional de San Agustin (UNSA), and Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos (UNMSM). Selected UR trainees complete 2-week neurology electives in public hospitals affiliated with UNSA and UNMSM. Selected Peruvian trainees complete 4-week neurology electives at Strong Memorial Hospital (UR). Between 2020 and 2024, six UR trainees completed electives in Peru, and 3 UNMSM and 2 UNSA trainees completed electives at the UR.
Design/Methods:
Prior to starting their electives, trainees received guiding questions in their native language to provide in-depth written reflections on diagnostic and therapeutic processes, financial decision-making related to patient care, administrative and logistic challenges related to patient care, community engagement in healthcare, and any other experiences they wanted to share. Reflections were collected 1-2 months after elective completion. Reflections underwent an interpretative phenomenological analysis to identify themes and select representative participant quotes.
Results:
Ten of the eleven trainees provided written reflections (5 UR trainees and 5 Peruvian trainees). Constructed cross-cultural themes experienced by UR trainees in Peru included: 1) empiric treatment used for diagnostic purposes, 2) higher educational exposure to neuroinfectious diseases, 3) patients and providers sharing social, financial and administrative challenges, and 4) spontaneous community engagement. Constructed cross-cultural themes experienced by Peruvian trainees at the UR included: 1) access to costly diagnostic tools and therapies, 2) higher educational exposure to rare diseases, 3) limited involvement of providers in social, financial and administrative challenges.
Conclusions:
The trainees who participated in the NeuroPro between 2020 and 2024 highlighted contrasting and complementary cross-cultural themes experienced during their international neurology electives.
Disclaimer: Abstracts were not reviewed by Neurology® and do not reflect the views of Neurology® editors or staff.