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ASUNCIÓN, Paraguay — Medical and dental student volunteers from universities across the Paraguay played a pivotal role in Amistad 2025, serving as vital language and cultural bridges between U.S. doctors and Paraguayan medical professionals.
Throughout the exercise, the students provided real-time Spanish translation for U.S. medical personnel treating Paraguayan patients, as well as English translation for Paraguayan doctors collaborating with American teams. Their work ensured smooth communication in clinics, operating rooms and dental treatment areas, allowing providers to focus on patient care without the barrier of language.
In total, 15 volunteers participated in the mission, representing multiple institutions and hospitals across the capital region.
The students’ contributions, however, went far beyond interpretation. By shadowing medical and dental specialists, they observed techniques, asked questions and learned how patient care is approached in different healthcare systems. For many, the experience was as much about professional growth as it was about service.
“I learned so much — not just about translating medical terms, but about how to work as part of a team across cultures,” said Nico Rodriguez, a Universidad Autónoma de Paraguay dental student and Amistad volunteer. “I even got to help with surgical extractions, which I’d only done a few times before. There’s a special way they show you how to position instruments or touch the bone so you can move the tooth more easily. Over the last few weeks, I learned so much from Dr. Hetrick.”
For the doctors, the students were far more than translators — they were integral teammates.
“One day we didn’t have an interpreter, and it was very difficult,” said U.S. Air Force Maj. Carolyn Hetrick, 507th Medical Squadron dentist. “It’s hard to explain procedures or reassure patients when you can’t communicate directly. These students didn’t just translate — they connected us to the patients. They made it possible for us to give the kind of care that builds trust.”
Hetrick said she was equally impressed by the students’ adaptability.
“It was impressive how Nico picked up techniques from both the U.S. and Paraguayan providers,” Hetrick said. “I learned just as much from him — his bedside manner, the way he talks to patients and especially how good he is with children. He gets down on their level, face-to-face, and makes them feel safe. You can just tell they trust him.
“They learned dental terminology on the fly, navigated cultural differences and kept patients comfortable even in stressful situations,” she said. “They worked long hours, kept smiling and made sure the clinics ran smoothly.
Their enthusiasm was contagious.”
For the students, the mission was both professionally rewarding and personally meaningful.
“I loved working with them so much that I didn’t want to go to another location,” Rodriguez said. “We spent almost every day together, and by the end, it feels like saying goodbye to family. I even told them I’d be sad at my school clinic back home because they wouldn’t be there.
“All day we had fun,” he added. “We were working hard, but we were also laughing, getting to know each other. It’s only been two weeks, but it feels like much longer. I told them I’ll be in depression when they leave.”
By the end of their time together, the volunteers had not only improved communication between two medical teams but also strengthened professional ties between Paraguay and the United States — embodying the spirit of amistad, or “friendship,” on which the mission is built.
“When I first heard the name, I didn’t know what it meant,” Hetrick said. “I looked it up and thought, ‘Oh my gosh, it means friendship.’ And that’s exactly what happened here. We built real friendships.”
In the end, the mission was about more than medical and dental care. It was about learning — students learning from doctors, doctors learning from students, and everyone learning about partnership. It was about two nations working side-by-side, solving problems together and sharing expertise.
| Date Taken: | 08.15.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 08.15.2025 16:18 |
| Story ID: | 545711 |
| Location: | PY |
| Web Views: | 39 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, AMISTAD 2025: Paraguayan Students Bridge Language, Knowledge, by Andrea Jenkins, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
