Global Health Elective in Botswana, Two Months Later
- LaShonda Peña
- 1 minute ago
- 2 min read
Written by:
LaShonda Peña,
Botswana, 2026
After being home for two months now, I find myself missing life in Botswana more than I expected. I miss meals that became routine, the scenery from the Yacht Club, and even the mild winter weather, especially after returning to a hot New York summer. I still check the Botswana group chat and catch myself wishing I could attend the events being shared. None of this is particularly surprising, and I know those feelings will likely fade with time. What has surprised me is how much I continue to think about my experience in the Accident and Emergency Department.
I remain in the department's WhatsApp group, where providers continue to share interesting cases and teaching points. Every time I see a new case, I find myself wanting to jump into the discussion or be back in the department. During my rotation, I was able to participate in patient care in ways that are uncommon for visiting students in many U.S. rotations. Rather than simply observing, I was encouraged to think through cases, formulate plans, and actively contribute to patient care under supervision. The teaching was intentional, and I left each shift feeling that I had truly grown as a future physician rather than simply having watched medicine happen.
Returning home also meant returning to the realities of everyday life in the United States. While I was in Botswana, I found it surprisingly easy to disconnect from social media, the news, and the constant stream of political discourse. Since coming home, I have been pulled back into that environment. It reminded me how much mental space I had gained while I was away and how refreshing it was to focus almost entirely on medicine, learning, and building relationships with the people around me. Even outside of medicine, Botswana has stayed with me. I find myself following Botswana content creators, watching videos of people walking through Gaborone, and keeping up with places that had become familiar during my six weeks there. What was once an unfamiliar city now feels oddly recognizable, almost comforting.
More importantly, the experience continues to shape how I think about medicine. Botswana reinforced that good physicians are not defined by the technology or resources available to them but by their clinical reasoning, adaptability, and commitment to their patients. I returned with a greater appreciation for practicing medicine based on knowledge and sound clinical judgment rather than depending on an abundance of diagnostics. That perspective has continued to influence how I approach my clinical rotations and has reminded me that the physician ultimately makes the difference, not the healthcare system.
Two months later, I no longer view Botswana as just a global health elective. It has become part of the physician I am becoming. The lessons I learned there continue to influence how I think, how I learn, and ultimately how I hope to care for patients throughout my career.
