Abdelnabi helps bridge language gaps in health care
Rund Abdelnabi’s warm and infectious smile was visible to thousands at Clemson University’s December 2023 graduation ceremony when she crossed the center stage in Littlejohn Coliseum. Her parents beamed with pride from their seats. Having roots in Palestine, they separately emigrated from Jordan to the United States, with Abdelnabi’s father initiating the transition in 1980.
Abdelnabi’s Clemson journey and subsequent career materialized directly from her family’s immense perseverance and experiences of communication in health care settings. After Abdelnabi graduated with a degree in language and international health, she was prepared to help Spanish and Arabic speakers surmount the language gaps her family faced.
“Sometimes, it’s very intimidating when you go into a health care clinic. Although you might be able to speak limited English or be fluent in it, it’s scary,” Abdelnabi says. “They feel more comfortable if they have someone who can speak the language 100 percent and can help them out to make sure they’re not missing vital information. I saw my family go through that.”
Across continents, her study abroad host family in Córdoba, Argentina, sent Abdelnabi well wishes over text on graduation morning. They know they’ll always have a place in her heart. The six-month study abroad trip through Clemson’s Córdoba Center helped Abdelnabi improve her Spanish through real-world linguistic experiences. It was also a soul-enriching trip. The allure of personable Argentinian health care providers stoked her aspiration to become a physician assistant who works under the direct supervision of a licensed physician.
“It was an amazing experience,” Abdelnabi says. “I worked in a public health center and witnessed how the Argentinian health care system differs from America’s.”
Abdelnabi initially dreamed of dental school. She interned under a local pediatric dentist fluent in Arabic, French, Russian, English and Spanish. Fluent in three languages, Abdelnabi dismantles barriers affecting her family and patients.
“I thought this major was the best of both worlds because I did want to come out being close to fluent so I could serve a wider population in the future,” she says. “I’ve seen it in my community with those who cannot entirely speak English.”
With her Clemson chapter over, Abdelnabi says she cherished her time in the Muslim Student Association and the embrace of her host family, who welcomed her faith with open arms.
“It was such a great environment to learn about the culture and language,” she says. “They just became my family. They were very supportive of who I am as a person because, in Argentina, they don’t have a lot of Muslims. We had a lot of conversations and got to know more about each other.”
FUN FACT: Abdelnabi currently works at a Greenville, South Carolina, pediatrics clinic to record more patient care hours as she prepares for physician assistant school this fall.
