Author: Caleb Flores | Major: Biological Sciences 
Since November of 2023, every Friday morning I have spent my time at Welcome Health in Fayetteville assisting the civil surgeon with medical immigration exams for local immigrants in the community or refugees being resettled in Arkansas with the help of Canopy NWA. During the Fall 2023 semester, I received an email about becoming the next Refugee and Migrant Health intern at Welcome Health. I immediately knew it was something I wanted to do, and I was incredibly excited to get started. I had no idea what to expect on my first day, but I quickly realized how perfect this position was for me.
Each patient we see in the clinic is there to complete the I-693 medical immigration form necessary for permanent residency in the United States. I have been blessed with the opportunity to meet people coming to Arkansas from all corners of the world. Everyone who comes in is excited to call America their home, and we are even more excited to help them with this part of the immigration process. Being a native Spanish speaker has greatly benefited me in my role because of the large Spanish-speaking community in our area. One of the best parts has been learning so many different Spanish dialects from around the world. Welcome Health began doing medical immigration exams in early 2023, and it is amazing that, up to this point, we have been able to help people from 31 different countries. Even more amazing is that we process medical immigration exams for 75 percent of the refugee population that resettles in Northwest Arkansas. Since the civil surgeon and I are a two-person team at the clinic, it can be a daunting task at times, but it is certainly a challenge we enjoy.
The tasks I perform on a weekly basis consist of collecting and sometimes translating medical records from the patient’s home country, ordering necessary vaccinations and labs required for the I-693 form, and ultimately filling out information on the I-693 form. The immigration process is constantly changing with new rules being added, so one of the most important tasks is staying up to date on everything new U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) requires. This position has taught me so much about communication and how to get creative with communication when I do not speak the same language as the person in the clinic. Another important communication aspect of my job is coordinating patient treatments with and collecting records from the local health departments.
Between the cost of lab tests, vaccines, and x-rays, the medical immigration exam can be very expensive. This is why a place like Welcome Health, where those who come in can complete their medical immigration exam free of charge, is essential in our community. Having an immigrant parent and many family members who have come to the United States, I have seen firsthand how difficult the whole immigration process can be. Every Friday morning, I wake up to help ensure that the medical immigration exam is the easiest part of the immigration process for everyone who comes in.
I am applying to medical schools in the summer 2025 cycle, and I am excited to take everything I have learned about global health and medicine during my time at Welcome Health with me to the next level. I am incredibly grateful for everything Dr. Eifling, the civil surgeon, has taught me throughout my time at Welcome Health. He took the time to answer all of my medical questions and teach me new things everyday I was there. To whoever the next Refugee and Migrant Health intern at Welcome Health will be, I am excited to meet you and teach you all I have learned about this place and process. You will leave the clinic with a smile on your face every day because there is no more fulfilling internship opportunity than this.