Four UAC-CP Nursing students won first place in a national research competition that was organized by the National Science Assembly of Nursing Students in Bolivia. 

First-year Nursing students Carlos Ticona, Narda Tintaya, Teresa Choque and Erik Poma were one of 14 research teams from top Bolivian universities that presented their findings in October 2018 at the Universidad Mayor de San Andres—the public university in the capital city of La Paz.

The UAC-CP students’ research, titled “Detection of Fungus in Workers’ Boots,” consisted of identifying microorganisms found in the work boots of second-year UAC-CP Veterinary students. Once microorganisms were identified in the lab, the Nursing team made recommendations for eliminating the microorganisms that frequently cause athlete’s foot among students.

“Research is an essential part of our learning in Carmen Pampa,” explained team member Teresa Choque. “In the field of nursing it’s important for us to pose critical questions and understand the process for getting to the ‘how’ and the ‘why’.”

All students at the College in Carmen Pampa are required to do annual research projects that seek solutions for common problems facing rural communities. Students present their findings in bi-annual research fairs; winning teams sometimes advance to national competitions, such as the National Science Assembly.

“I’m very happy that our students are able to demonstrate the academic quality of our university,” said UAC-CP President Delegate Fr. Freddy del Villar. As first-year students, the team was among the youngest competitors at the assembly. 

The prize-winning team credits their research advisor, Dr. Samanta Sánchez Alacrón, a microbiologist from the University of Navarra, Spain, who teaches Nursing at the UAC-CP.