Nursing students from UMECIT explore the El Caño Archaeological Site to strengthen their anthropological training in health

Last Saturday, November 15th, nursing students at UMECIT experienced a day that integrated culture, history, and professional learning in a unique setting. As part of the course Sociology and Anthropology in NursingThe academic tour entitled “Archaeology as a tool of Anthropology in Health” at the El Caño Archaeological Site, Coclé province.

The activity aimed to link theoretical content with a field experience that would allow us to understand, from historical evidence, how pre-Columbian social organization, funerary practices and symbolic meanings associated with life, death and the body still influence the health behaviors of current communities.

Through this experience, the students reflected on the relationship between culture and care, strengthening their anthropological awareness and their ability to provide culturally competent care. Direct observation of ancestral heritage allowed them to recognize the importance of understanding beliefs, traditions, and worldviews as essential components in the caregiver/patient relationship.

More than just an academic outing, this experience became a comprehensive educational exercise that fosters a more humane, conscious, and contextualized view of professional practice. At UMECIT, we reaffirm our commitment to meaningful education that transcends the classroom and connects with the history, identity, and social reality of the country.