For most people, a perfect summer trip to the Caribbean includes lazy beach days and festive nights. But Claudia Diaz isn’t most people. She’s a critical care registered nurse in the M.S.N. program at the University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies. Diaz’s ideal island getaway involved observing open-heart surgery, assisting with emergency medical cases, and teaching clinical skills to fellow nurses in a hospital abroad.
“My recent medical mission trip to the Dominican Republic was nothing short of extraordinary,” she said. “I had the privilege of working alongside brilliant residents and doctors who generously shared their knowledge and walked us through their clinical processes with patience and depth.”
For Marilyn Rivero, her M.S.N. classmate, witnessing a “perfectly coordinated” open-heart operation was one of the week’s most impactful moments. “Before the case began, the entire surgical team gathered in prayer, setting a tone of humility and unity,” Rivero recalled. “It was a beautiful reminder of the power of teamwork in medicine.”
Diaz and Rivero—both August graduates of the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner track—were among ten Acute Care and Family Nurse Practitioner students who took part in a school-led global health mission to Clínica Médica Universitaria Unión del Norte in the city of Santiago de los Caballeros from June 7 to 14. Dr. Johis Ortega, the school’s associate dean for Hemispheric and Global Initiatives, led the expedition. “The students rotated through diverse units at the hospital according to their program track, and every student's experience was different,” he explained. “This immersion not only deepened our students’ clinical knowledge but also fostered cultural awareness and a greater understanding of international health care systems.”
Family Nurse Practitioner student Andrea Zdrnja, B.S.N. ’24, signed up for the trip hoping to gain gynecology and family planning experience and had the chance to work side by side with noted oncological gynecology provider Dr. Martha Ureña. “She was the busiest GYN doctor on the floor, yet managed to stay calm, sweet, and open to anyone waiting to see her,” said Zdrnja. “She treated GYN prevention issues, endometriosis, fibroids, polycystic ovary syndrome, and oncology patients in women's health and was leading pregnancies. Not only that, but she is also a surgeon. I hope to be even a little bit like her one day, mostly because her patients found in her a friend, confidence, and strength.” Zdrnja’s one complaint? “I wish we had more time,” she said. “A week to pick the doctor's brain definitely is not enough. I would go again if given the chance.”
Miami faculty member Dr. Erick Zarabozo, a nurse practitioner, accompanied the student group and said their feedback was “overwhelmingly positive. Our students truly valued the opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills across a variety of health care settings, including the ICU, operating room, emergency department, and labor and delivery. Many expressed not only how much they learned, but also how personally and professionally impactful the experience was.”
The educational impact went both ways. Dr. Ortega presented on the role of U.S. nurses to a group of ICU nurses at the private D.R. teaching hospital, while Diaz, Rivero, and classmate Nadejda Brihunet taught them clinical workshops on arterial line insertion management and the prevention of CAUTI (catheter-associated urinary-tract infections). “I went in hoping to give, but I feel I received far more in return,” said Rivero. “The hands-on experience was both humbling and inspiring,” added Diaz. “It made me deeply grateful for resources and opportunities we often take for granted. Most of all, the warmth, hospitality, and kindness of everyone we met made this a trip I’ll never forget.”
Their action-packed week in D.R. also included a visit from Dean Hudson Santos, who took part in the renewal ceremony to celebrate the school’s nearly ten-year partnership with Clínica Union Médica del Norte and its outstanding clinical staff, led by Julián Sued, the president of Clínica Universitaria Unión Médica del Norte, and physicians Francis Fajardo, Veronica Lockward, Natalia Garcia, and Daniel Rivera. This long-lasting international agreement, said Dean Santos, underscores both parties’ commitment to meaningful global engagement, cross-border education, and enriching clinical experiences for future health care leaders.
