Empowerment, Ethics and Intercultural Competence in Short-­Term Medical Missions in the Dominican Republic

While the Dominican healthcare system has recently been lauded by USAID for strides in more efficient patient care, the day-to-day experiences of patients, doctors and other healthcare providers in a small community in San Pedro de Macoris reflect a different reality. With a public system that inefficient and chaotic and a private system that is often too expensive for poorer Dominicans to access, short-term medical missions (STMMs) have filled a niche in Dominican healthcare. In my thesis, I discuss a specific model of STMMs that involves students and faculty from a U.S. pharmacy school traveling to the Dominican Republic for 7-10 days in order to host ambulatory clinics in conjunction with local doctors in barrios around San Pedro de Macoris. In addition to examining the ethical implications of these STMMs in terms of religion, language and intercultural competence, I address questions of agency, empowerment and privilege.