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What if the most important clinical tool isn’t in your pocket but in your posture toward people? We sit down with Dr. Katie Lucas, an OBGYN whose career was shaped by service learning in Belize and Nicaragua, and follow the throughline from open‑air clinics to private practice. Katie shares how she chose her specialty for its blend of surgery, continuity, and problem‑solving—and why true teamwork and strong mentors matter as much as any textbook.

We dive into language as clinical infrastructure. Katie explains how speaking Spanish transforms trust in women’s health, especially in sensitive exams and moments of crisis. She breaks down the realities of the patient‑provider‑interpreter triangle, offers practical tips for addressing the patient directly, and shows how small phrasing changes protect dignity. The conversation brings raw honesty about returning home after short‑term service, the discomfort of abundance, and the responsibility to translate that experience into everyday care. From free clinics to residency rotations, she shows how consistent practice and reflection make compassion durable.

For students and early‑career clinicians, Katie lays out a clear path: get your hands dirty in real clinics, learn the language your patients speak, seek mentors who model the values you want to live, and keep a journal so the lessons stick. We also share book recommendations on public health, equity, and the patient perspective to deepen your thinking beyond the ward. If you want to stand out in interviews and, more importantly, show up better for patients, this conversation is your roadmap to service‑driven medicine that lasts.

If this story moved you or gave you a new idea to try, follow the show, share this episode with a friend who needs a nudge, and leave a review with one lesson you’ll put into practice next week.

Recommended Books:

1. On Call: A Doctor's Journey in Public Service - Anthony Fauci
2. Medical Apartheid - Harriet Washington
3. In Shock - Rana Awdish
4. When Breath Becomes Air - Paul Kalanithi

I also want to thank our listeners for joining us as it is our goal to not only share with you our guest’s introduction to international healthcare, but also to share with you how that exposure to international healthcare has shaped their future path in healthcare. As true patient advocates, we should all aspire to be as well rounded as possible in order to meet the needs of our diverse patient populations.

As a 45+ year nurse that has worked in quite a variety of clinical roles in our healthcare system, taught healthcare courses for the past 20 years at the university level, and has traveled extensively with my students on international service-learning trips, I can easily attest to the fact that healthcare focused students need, and greatly benefit from the opportunity to have hands-on experiential healthcare experiences in an international setting! I have seen the growth of students post travel as their self-confidence in their newly acquired skillsets, both clinical and cultural, facilitates their ability to take advantage of opportunities that previously may not have been available to them. By rendering care internationally, and stepping outside one's comfort zone, many more doors of opportunity will be opened.

Feel free to check out our website at www.islonline.org, follow us on Instagram @ islmedical, and reach out to me @ DrH@islonline.org