About Me

Hi and Welcome! My name is Alba Fuertes and I am a college student living in Miami, Florida. I attend Florida International University (FIU) pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology with a pre-medical track. My long term goal is to become a Physician Assistant and practice medicine in underserved areas. My interest in Medicine began during my second year of college, when I was a Child Life volunteer in the Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery Department at the Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. As part of the team, I worked with children and families to help them cope with the challenges of hospitalization, illness and disability. Living in a developing country for 13 years, I was exposed to poverty and limited resources on a daily basis. It has given me a unique perspective about communities in need, which is the base of my interest for practicing medicine in underserved areas in the future. 

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Currently, I hold a position as a medical scribe in the Emergency Room at North Shore Medical Center. I decided to take a step further into the medical field by joining the ER team and get more experience. Every day I learn new medical information by different health care providers in my team, which has allowed me to expand my knowledge on medicine early. After working in the ER and observing a great number of illnesses, I am confident that I want to pursue a career as a Physician Assistant in order to help members of a community stay healthy and prolong life. During the time I have worked as a scribe, I have witnessed many individuals who come to the ER once they are extremely ill because they can't afford treatments or doctor visits on a regular basis, and also because they are not able to see a physician in time. The amount of people that need medical services outnumber the physicians available to see them. A person would have to wait an average of 1-2 months between appointments due to the many patients that physicians have. This is a current issue that is happening in many countries around the world. When I found out about the FIU India Global Health Program I felt that it was a perfect fit for my career interests, as we would be conducting research in rural areas with families of limited resources. 

I was accepted to the 2017 Global Health Study Abroad Program, a Research based Study Abroad from FIU. On this site, I will share my project discoveries, research-based essays and personal experiences through India. My research will take place in the Public Health Institute of India (PHRII), they work to improve access to healthcare for women living in rural areas and provide voluntary, comprehensive, and culturally sensitive services. PHRII has created a three-fold approach to combat health shortages for these communities: routine care, a mobile medical and research data. PHRII collect and analyze data. In this way, they are able to provide evidence-based care. As a participant of this Global Health Study Abroad Program, I will have the opportunity to explore the successes and challenges of one of the most populous countries in the world’s health systems. This program will enhance my knowledge of health services in underserved communities in a global context through fieldwork experience. I will have the opportunity to explore local organizations and health care service providers to focus on infant health and antenatal care practices in India.

This site is an expression of adventure, inspiration, ideas and knowledge that I will acquire throughout this journey. I am confident that my time in India will allow me to gain and share my new perspectives about health care services in a global level as I immerse myself in a different culture. 

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