Vai Ra'a Betsabe Palma Araki

"During 2025, I took several important courses, among which I would highlight Pediatrics and Psychiatry, as both were fundamental to my professional and personal development. The Pediatrics course was very meaningful to me because it taught me that children are not simply “little adults,” but patients with their own needs. I learned to interact with them through play and observation, understanding that they often cannot express what they feel in words. At first, it was a challenge, as illnesses do not always present themselves as they do in books, but this experience allowed me to develop soft skills such as empathy, patience, and better communication. In Rapa Nui, these lessons would be essential for providing respectful and effective care to children, considering their cultural and social context.

On the other hand, the subject of Psychiatry, especially Child Psychiatry, was one of the areas that impacted me the most. I observed complex cases of children who were living in difficult situations and developing mental health problems, but who managed to improve significantly thanks to therapy and, in some cases, the use of medication. I learned that, although medical treatment is important, the family context and a good support network are essential to maintaining improvement.

Although I would probably initially work as a general practitioner in Rapa Nui, I consider it essential to apply all the knowledge I have acquired to treat each case in a comprehensive manner. Children's health requires the joint work of different disciplines, so it would be key to collaborate with other health professionals and social workers, especially when the child's environment is not favorable."