04/01/2026
This spring, Lecturers Cara McGuinness, CNM, MS, FACNM and Liz Harbuck MSN, RN, C-EFM, CBC, led 16 Penn undergraduate students on a nine-day Penn Global Studies experience in the Dominican Republic to explore maternal health, lactation, and community-based care in Consuelo and Santo Domingo.
In Consuelo, students partnered with Niños Primero en Salud, a longstanding CHOP Global Health collaboration, observing community health efforts through clinic tours, home outreach, and neighborhood health fairs. Together with local teams, they provided screenings and preventive care to more than 500 community members. Here, students gained firsthand insight into how trust and community relationships expand access to care.
In Santo Domingo, the group worked alongside ProlactarRD, a national breastfeeding advocacy organization. Students visited hospitals and a milk bank, engaged with patients on lactation and early feeding, and examined systemic challenges - including high cesarean birth rates and barriers to breastfeeding support. Cara and Liz also shared expertise with local providers. The experience extended beyond the classroom: students contributed Spanish-language children’s books to a literacy initiative and helped collect 45 breast pumps and supplies for distribution to families in need.
Through immersive, community-engaged learning, students deepened their understanding of global health systems and the power of culturally responsive care.
