Katelyn's Clinical Rotation to Uganda, For Better HealthCare

Hello Friends & Family,

For those of you who know (or don't know), for the past seven months I have been in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania obtaining my Masters degree in Physician's Assistant Studies to become a Physician's Assistant (PA). I am more than halfway through my program and close to finishing off the didactic (classroom) year, and will start my clinical rotation year in June 2025! Clinical rotations allows me to work in the field amongst various specialties (Family Medicine, Women's Health, Pediatrics, Surgery, etc.) to gain experience and apply the knowledge I received in didactic year to real world situations.

The reason I am making this GoFundMe is because I have the opportunity to do one of my clinical rotations in Uganda. Unfortunately, it comes at a financial cost, and I'm asking for any help if possible.

As a child I've always had a passion to help others, it felt good. It feels purposeful. It wasn't until I faced a personal battle of cancer where God helped me realize how I could use my passion for a purpose...in pursuing a career as a Physician's Assistant. After I complete my program, I'm considering working in the field of Oncology and/or Family Medicine. Why? Part of the reason is due to my personal history; but ultimately because I believe those two fields allow me to have the opportunity to connect more with people, and walk with them on their journey of life. That's what I love most about helping people...to have human connection and learn about their story.

I want to pursue a rotation in Uganda because I believe this experience will gift me something that I cannot get from American medicine. I would learn from the local health programs in Uganda, that are faced with challenges such as high maternal and infant mortality, HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases, and limited access to nutritious food leading to malnutrition. The rotation would be 4 weeks long, and in the end I hope I can use the lessons learned from Uganda to provide a better care experience for my future patients when I become a PA.

Any amount would be a tremendous help, and I would be EXTREMELY grateful! You could either donate through GoFundMe (which takes a percentage of the donations) or my Venmo (@Katelyn-Bautista). And if you can't donate at this time, I completely understand! Thoughts, prayers, and sharing this is just as good! Thank you for giving me your time to read this and helping me experience a once in a lifetime opportunity.