Anya Carroll ’26 and Savannah Maldonado ’26: Latino Health Insurance Program

The American Cancer Society reports that every 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer, but every 1 in 2 women doesn’t get the necessary screenings in order to catch this life-threatening disease. Before we even physically stepped foot into the Latino Health Insurance Program, Dr. Abreu, the program's founder, had already educated us on these disheartening statistics.  But amid the sobering statistics, we also discovered a powerful truth: when detected early, people diagnosed with breast cancer have a survival rate of over 99%. That’s why one of the most meaningful parts of our internship was working to educate and empower women in the community about the importance of early detection and regular screenings.

As part of our work at LHIP, we helped enroll women in the Massachusetts Breast and Cervical Cancer Program (MBCCP), which provides uninsured or underinsured women with access to essential cancer screenings. While many of the women we spoke with had already scheduled their mammograms and Pap smears, we were still able to enroll 16 women in the program during our time at LHIP. That number might seem small in the broader fight against breast cancer, but for those 16 women, it could mean early detection, access to care, and potentially saving their lives. It was a reminder that even incremental progress matters, especially when working to ensure the Latino community has equitable access to preventative healthcare.

While breast and cervical cancer awareness was a major part of our internship, our experience at LHIP gave us the opportunity to engage in a wide range of responsibilities that deepened our understanding of community health and patient care. On our very first day, before we were allowed to begin working with patients, we were required to watch a HIPAA training video. This served as our introduction to one of the most important elements of working in any medical setting: protecting patient privacy and confidentiality. The training also reminded us of the deep trust patients place in healthcare workers, especially in a program designed to serve vulnerable and underserved communities.

Once we completed our training, we quickly became involved in the daily operations of the clinic. One of our most hands-on responsibilities was bringing patients from the waiting room into exam rooms and preparing them to be seen by the doctor. This included taking vital signs, such as blood pressure, temperature, height, weight, and vision tests, which were new skills for both of us. It was exciting to be trusted with real medical tasks and to gain so much independence early on. Getting to do hands-on clinical work made the experience feel even more meaningful, and it gave us a glimpse into what working in healthcare really looks like day to day.

Savannah taking the blood pressure of a patient Savannah performing a vision test

Information we filled out for each patient

Another meaningful part of our internship was the opportunity to observe Dr. Dahod, the pediatrician at LHIP. He would often check in on us during the day, and if we weren’t too busy, he’d invite us to come watch him administer vaccines. We had the chance to observe him give shots to patients ranging from toddlers to teenagers, typically ages 2 to 16. It was fascinating to see how he adapted his approach depending on the child’s age, distracting younger kids with conversation, humor, or offering a lollipop to make the process as smooth and stress-free as possible. His calm, patient manner helped ease children’s anxiety, and watching him work gave us a real-world example of how empathy and small gestures can make a big difference in a medical setting.

Anya: We also contributed to the clinic’s operations behind the scenes by helping to schedule appointments and make referrals for patients in need of follow-ups, lab work, or medications. Dr. Lubega, personally showed me how to navigate the clinic’s scheduling and referral system. This training eventually allowed me to support the clinic more independently, ensuring that patients were connected with the services they needed without unnecessary delays. These tasks may have seemed administrative on the surface, but they were critical to keeping the clinic running smoothly and effectively serving the community.

Anya learning how to schedule appointments

Because LHIP primarily serves Latino and Portuguese-speaking populations, we also had the invaluable chance to practice our Spanish skills in a real-world context. Most patients we encountered spoke little to no English, which gave us the opportunity to use our language abilities outside of the classroom. Communicating with patients in their native language helped them feel more comfortable and understood, and it challenged us to adapt, listen closely, and continue improving our fluency. It was rewarding to see how even simple conversations in Spanish—greeting a patient, explaining a form, or asking for the reason the patient is visiting the doctor's office—could build trust and make the healthcare experience more accessible.

On top of our clinical and outreach responsibilities, we also assisted with one of the less visible but no less important aspects of healthcare: paperwork. Clinics generate enormous amounts of documentation, and one of our jobs was to help file patient records and prepare them in advance of appointments. Each day, we pulled the files needed for the next day’s visits so that doctors wouldn’t have to waste time searching for them during appointments. We also helped organize loose paperwork, test results, and intake forms into their appropriate places. Though not as glamorous as taking vitals or shadowing doctors, this work reminded us of how many moving parts go into every patient visit and how important organization is to efficient care.

Anya organizing the files

The mission of the Latino Health Insurance Program is to offer a community-based, culturally specific program for health insurance enrollment and maintenance to minority residents across Massachusetts. LHIP connects clients to appropriate healthcare services—including primary care, specialty care, and dental care—and assists individuals in applying for support programs like SNAP (food stamps), WIC, fuel assistance, and the Emergency Income Payment Program through the City of Framingham. The organization also promotes greater use of preventive services such as health screenings, prenatal care, wellness visits, and health education, all while working to reduce overall medical costs.

Not only did we witness this mission in action during our weeks at LHIP, but we also saw the staff go above and beyond to serve their community with dedication, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to health equity. It was an incredibly rewarding experience to be a part of an organization that does so much to remove barriers and advocate for those who are often underserved in the healthcare system.

Thank you to everyone we met during our time at LHIP for welcoming us and guiding us through such an eye-opening and educational experience. And a special thank you to Mr. Schlenker and Dr. Abreu for giving us the opportunity to be part of this internship in the first place—we are truly grateful.

Anya and Savannah with the founder of LHIP, Dr. Abreu