Coursework

Linguistic Proficiency

Below are documents that demonstrate my Spanish proficiency and their respective courses.

El Poder de Acciones: Un Análisis de San Manuel Bueno, Mártir

Span 3040: Spanish for Conversation & Composition

This linguistic artifact is an analytical essay written in Spanish on San Manuel Bueno, Mártir by Miguel de Unamuno, completed for Spanish Conversation and Composition. The goal of the assignment was to critically analyze the text's thematic elements. In this essay, I focused on themes of faith, doubt, moral action, and symbolism, drawing on biblical references and existential concepts to interpret characters such as Don Manuel and Lázaro Carballino. This artifact is significant because it strengthened my Spanish academic writing skills, particularly my ability to analyze abstract ideas. One of the main challenges I overcame was maintaining grammatical accuracy. Additionally, the project deepened my cultural understanding of early twentieth-century Spanish intellectual and religious conflict.

La Diplomacia Médica de Cuba: Influencia Global y Proyección Exterior en el Siglo XXI

SPAN 3180: Hispanic America - Latin America

This linguistic artifact is an analytical essay for SPAN 3180 titled "La Diplomacia Médica de Cuba: Influencia Global y Proyección Exterior en el Siglo XXI." The paper examines the international medical brigades organized by Fidel Castro’s government and later expanded under Raúl Castro as a central element of Cuba’s foreign policy and economic strategy. The assignment analyzes how Cuba’s medical missions operate simultaneously as humanitarian aid, diplomatic outreach, and a significant source of state revenue. Through political and economic analysis, the essay further considers how these programs have evolved in the 21st century amid growing domestic economic strain and increasing external scrutiny from countries such as the United States. This artifact strengthened my ability to write formally in Spanish about complex geopolitical and economic topics while integrating historical context, policy analysis, and multiple sources into a coherent argument. The project also deepened my understanding of how public health initiatives can function as instruments of international diplomacy and state strategy. These skills are directly transferable to academic and professional environments that require advanced analytical thinking, research synthesis, and high-level Spanish communication.

Culture & Literature

Below are documents and coursework pertaining to cultural learning and international competencies.

Fanatismo Religioso y la Natura Humano en El Retablo de las Maravillas

Lit 3215: The Golden Age of Spanish Theatre

This artifact is an analytical essay written for the Golden Age of Spanish Theatre, examining El Retablo de las Maravillas by Miguel de Cervantes. The assignment’s goal was to analyze how Cervantes uses satire to critique religious fanaticism and the Spanish Inquisition. My essay focused on how Cervantes explores the dangers of conformity and purity-of-blood ideology in early modern Spain. Analyzing religious persecution and social pressure helped me recognize how fear and politics influence behavior, a construct highly relevant to healthcare settings where patients may distrust medical providers. This experience prepared me to listen more carefully to patient stories, recognize the social pressures that affect health decisions, and engage in culturally sensitive communication across diverse clinical and global environments.

Orden Social, Identidad y Género en Don Gil de las Calzas Verdes

Lit 3215: The Golden Age of Spanish Theatre

This artifact is an analytical essay written for a Golden Age of Spanish Theatre course that examines Don Gil de las Calzas Verdes by Tirso de Molina. The goal of the assignment was to analyze how Spanish theatrical works utilize dramatic conventions and satire to form social critiques. In this essay, I focused on how Tirso uses shifting identities and comedic archetypes to expose power imbalances in seventeenth-century Madrid. He further develops his critique through a rudimentary feminist perspective on the character Doña Juana. This artifact deepened my understanding of how literature can reflect cultural challenges, social order, class inequality, and gender norms. Analysing class divisions and an early narrative of female agency strengthened my awareness of how social constructs affect narratives. This experience prepared me to engage in culturally sensitive communication and critically examine systems of inequality, skills that are profoundly impactful in healthcare and professional settings.

Health Science

Below are documents pertaining to my Health Science coursework.

Análisis del sistema sanitario uruguayo: éxitos y desafíos de un modelo de seguridad social

SPAN 4180: Technical Spanish for Health Management Professionals

This artifact is a literature review completed for SPAN 4180, Technical Spanish for Health Management Professionals, titled “Analysis of the Uruguayan Health Care System: Successes and Challenges of a Social Security Model”. The purpose of this assignment was to evaluate the structure, historical reforms, and output of the Uruguayan health care system, also known as the National Integrated Health System (SNIS). This paper critically analyzes finance mechanisms, decentralization, coverage and various health outcomes from international research groups and peer-reviewed sources.

This artifact is significant to my academic and professional career because it strengthened my ability to analyze health systems from a policy-driven perspective. A significant challenge was collecting reliable data for the health system of another world region, as it uses different metrics and indicators of health. I addressed this by cross-referencing international sources to enhance my data synthesis and global health analysis, skills that prepare me to contribute to health policy discussions in domestic and international settings.

Dietary Practices in American Indian and Alaskan Native (AIAN) Populations

HLTH 2400: Health Behaviors

This artifact is a comprehensive literature review titled “Dietary Practices in American Indian and Alaskan Native Populations”, drafted for Health 2400, a course in the interest of studying health behaviors. The purpose of this assignment was to select an American population of interest and to develop an analysis of a corresponding public health issue through the use of theory-driven frameworks and peer-reviewed studies. This review examines how unhealthy dietary practices contribute to chronic disease disparities in AI/AN populations. Through this systematic review, I gained insight by applying the Social Ecological Model and Social Cognitive Theory to explore intrapersonal, interpersonal, community, and policy-level determinants of health.

This artifact is significant because it strengthened my comprehension of epidemiologic data synthesis, the evaluation of health behavior theories and the roles of social determinants in shaping long-term health outcomes. I faced challenges managing the breadth of the research, especially in collecting high-quality, relevant data on an under-evaluated, historically marginalized population. I addressed this by prioritizing community-based interventions and indigenous-led studies. This experience profoundly shaped my understanding of policy advocacy and culturally responsive health interventions, skills that compel me to develop equitable, community-driven solutions.