Monica Prieto - Weill Bugando

Monica Prieto, a second-year medical student at WCMC, participated in a pediatrics project at Bugando Medical Centre (BMC) in Mwanza, Tanzania during the summer of 2008.  Monica's general interests lie in pediatrics, community medicine, and minority health.  After a memorable college internship at a pediatric hospital in Puerto Rico, Prieto became increasingly interested in neonatology.     

Monica hit the ground running at BMC.  Donning scrubs, tennis shoes, and a stopwatch almost every morning, she started her day at 8am with morning report and then split the rest of her time between the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and the labor ward.

Monica's project focused on two aspects of neonatology at Bugando Hospital.  She observed the birthing process and the practice of advanced neonatal life support at the hospital, which includes all standard procedures between birth and return of the baby to its mother.

 Although Monica was exposed to the difficulties of healthcare in Tanzania, she witnessed the staff's daily effort to overcome these hurdles and made meaningful relationships during her time there, "My time in Bugando was very eye-opening.  I love the culture."