Avoid hazards of medical treatment abroad
Orla Buckley was less than a week into her study abroad program in Spain when things went sour.
Days after arriving in Seville in May 2003, Buckley, then 19, was walking home from a class during a Scotland vs. Portugal soccer match being played in the city. When Scotland scored, an exuberant fan outside the stadium picked Buckley up by the legs, jumped in celebration and fell — on Buckley.
Her kneecap was shattered and doctors operated that night. She spent about 10 days in a non-air conditioned hospital room that she shared with dozens of people, some of them smoking. Upon returning to the United States, doctors told her the care she received was outdated and would add to her recovery time.
By Debra Alban
28 February 2008