PA students see care differently in international rotation

Riverside, Calif. (July 09, 2026) — Students in the physician assistant studies program at California Baptist University complete nine clinical rotations, including an elective.

For Claire Caldera and Greta Thompson, that elective took them to a hospital in southern India, where they encountered a very different way of delivering care.  

“Trying to be more intentional about seeing the bigger picture of a patient instead of just what's right in front of me has challenged my thinking,” Thompson said. “The more that you experience and see someone else's point of view … that always makes you better.” 

The two were the first PA students at CBU to complete an international rotation. The opportunity grew out of a connection made several years ago, when a surgeon from the India hospital visited the CBU program. That relationship eventually led to a 2024 site visit by two CBU PA team members and continued work to establish the international rotation. 

International rotations offer PA students a unique opportunity for both clinical and personal growth, said Stephanie Principato, assistant director of clinical education for physician assistant studies. 

“These experiences immerse students in global healthcare settings, exposing them to diverse patient populations, disease processes and health systems,” she said. “Equally important, international rotations foster cultural competence, an essential component of both effective patient care and CBU’s mission.” 

‘Medicine in someone's living room’ 

There for four weeks, Caldera and Thompson worked in pediatrics, internal medicine, community and emergency medicine. For community, they took an hour bus ride to villages to help in clinics and with house calls. 

“I've never been part of care in someone's living room,” Caldera said. “It's so different being in such an intimate setting, sitting with them and their family.”  

Seeing their lack of resources and their day-to-day lives was eye-opening, the students said. 

“You can't prescribe ‘you need to eat better and you need to work out’ if they don't have access to gyms and that kind of food,” Caldera said. “It’s seeing the person as a whole and their circumstances as a whole and treating based on that rather than the answers you memorized from a book.” 

They also looked at problems differently. In the U.S., weight loss is often a symptom, perhaps of cancer or another disease. There, the patient probably was not eating enough. 

“The number one thing we saw prescribed was protein powder and vitamins,” Thompson said. 

Healthcare without insurance 

Few people have health insurance in India. 

“That opened our eyes to how they practice medicine. The doctor examines the patient and diagnoses them just by what they see and what the patient tells them rather than ordering every lab test,” Thompson said. 

In labor and delivery, beds line a big room with women divided between low risk and high risk. If needed, nurses would apply manual pressure in hopes of avoiding a C-section, which would be costly. 

“If patients could afford it, they could have a private room,” Thompson said. “It was interesting to see how your financial situation decides whether you get to have privacy when you have a baby or not.” 

Shaping future plans 

The two students graduate in August. This experience gave them something to consider when planning their future. 

“It reaffirmed that I want to work for a good team that actually cares about patients,” Caldera said.  

For Thompson, traveling and practicing medicine have always interested her. 

“I think the outreach and especially the community medicine part of it would be awesome if there was a way to incorporate that into my career,” she said.  

Faithful service 

For both of them, a favorite part of the week was the chapel service held Friday mornings for hospital staff.

“It was powerful and moving to see how all these people meet together, pray and center their day on Christ,” Thompson said. “They’d make sure that we're centered on the right thing before we get the opportunity to go live out our purpose and serve people.” 

They would pray for the employees, the sick, their families.

“It was just so intentional. I've never experienced work culture and chapel service, those things going together,” Caldera said.