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Medical Missions

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  1. Frictionless Frictionless is offline

    Roseville, CA
    United States

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    Jun 28th, 2011 (6/28/2011 10:15pm)

    So I'm a Navy Hospital Corpsman and a current nursing student. I'm really interested in doing a medical mission to a foreign country and was just curious if anyone's done something like this before. If so, what qualifications do you need? How much does it cost? What type of medicine can you practice? What were your overall experiences?

    I'd prefer something that isn't faith based since I'm not exactly religious. I'd like to just take a vacation and learn some new medicine without all the God stuff thrown in if at all possible.

    Found some sites like http://www.projecthope.org and http://www.vimm.org

    Anyone know any other organizations who do this type of stuff?
  2. Neeek Neeek is offline

    Kansas City, MO
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    Jun 28th, 2011 (6/28/2011 10:25pm) in reply to Frictionless

    I would first think about what you are trying to accomplish. Most short-term medical missions do more harm than good.

    Are you interested in going to learn/perform medicine that you can't perform in your normal role? this is both taking resources from the local health system (as you learn over someone else), and putting people at risk. I find that most medical missions are simply viewed as a chance for people to do things they can't normally do, while making themselves feel good in the process.

    What you should really look for are health education opportunities through established organizations. By working with an organization that is established in the country, and doing health research/epidemiology, the benefits can be both proven and sustainable. When your organization focuses on teaching the local health system to treat its own, rather than focusing on outside people coming in to put band-aids on the problems, a lot more good can come of it. There are a number of organizations that focus on maternal-child health education (to both health care professionals, and citizens) that can allow you to make yourself actually useful with a little bit of training.

    Sorry to be a downer, but it takes a lot of research/knowledge/dedication for a medical "mission" to be anything more than a confidence booster. A large percentage of the global health world doesn't understand this basic concept; they always use the "yeah, but I brought back so much enthusiasm to do more, so overall it was beneficial" approach, which is absolute bullshit IMHO.

    EDIT - After a quick scan of your links, Project Hope looks like an organization with the right approach, while VIMM is an example of a misguided leach/sinkhole of resources.
    Edited By: Neeek Jun 28th, 2011 at 10:31 PM
  3. Z-Fresh Z-Fresh is offline

    Encinitas, CA
    United States

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    Jun 28th, 2011 (6/28/2011 10:25pm) in reply to Neeek

    I donate annually to SurfAid International. They help bring supplies and medical attention to Indonesia more specifically in the Mentawi and Nias islands off West Sumatra. I spent a month traveling around Indonesia years ago and fell in love the people and culture over there and I'm grateful I can help them out monetarily.

    Check it out: http://www.surfaidinternational.org/
  4. Frictionless Frictionless is offline

    Roseville, CA
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    Jun 28th, 2011 (6/28/2011 10:40pm) in reply to Z-Fresh

    While I'm certainly not a doctor by any means... I feel that I could provide certain skills as a mid level provider to a physician, physician assistant, or nurse. Being in the military I'm generally allowed to practice more advanced skills than say an equivalent civilian, however, I obviously don't want to step outside my comfort level or scope of practice. I'm not looking to perform surgeries or anything close. I just want to use my skills and learn some things at the same time.

    Like Z said, I'd love to help out where possible and learn a little bit about a new culture. I have friends in the Navy who work on the USS Comfort/ Mercy and I love hearing their stories of visiting foreign places and working.

    Lots of times all they're doing is showing people how to wash their hands properly or brush their teeth, but its a small action that can make a lasting impact on generations of people in that area.

    I do get your points tho Neek.
    Thread Starter
  5. Neeek Neeek is offline

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    Jun 28th, 2011 (6/28/2011 10:50pm) in reply to Frictionless

     
    Originally Posted by Frictionless View Post

    Lots of times all they're doing is showing people how to wash their hands properly or brush their teeth, but its a small action that can make a lasting impact on generations of people in that area.
    .

    ya, this is the kind of stuff (basic education and prevention) that is useful, particularly when done in in association with a local health organization.

    I am coming from the perspective of a med student, where I have seen first years fly into local towns and practice diagnosing patients in a different language like they are residents fluent in the local culture and disease epidemiology. Further, because they come from an American medical institution, they are often trusted absolutely (like people will come to these "health fairs" instead of going to their local fully-trained physician). Then they fly home with this great sense of altruistic superiority; its not that they are bad people, its just that they are dangerously ignorant/misguided about international health.

    I don't mean to imply that your goal is to be a medical tourist like this, just wanted to bring up the point of doing lots of research before choosing a project/organization; there are millions of them out there, but only a minority are doing positive things. GL with the whole process!
    Edited By: Neeek Jun 28th, 2011 at 10:53 PM
  6. Frictionless Frictionless is offline

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    Jun 28th, 2011 (6/28/2011 10:54pm) in reply to Neeek

    Just curious, what are you looking to focus on after med school? I'm thinking about going to PA school through the Navy and would like to do ER/ OR medicine eventually.
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  7. Neeek Neeek is offline

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    Jun 28th, 2011 (6/28/2011 11:00pm) in reply to Frictionless

     
    Originally Posted by Frictionless View Post

    Just curious, what are you looking to focus on after med school? I'm thinking about going to PA school through the Navy and would like to do ER/ OR medicine eventually.

    At the moment, my best guess is either a family medicine or InternalMedicine-Pediatrics residency with a strong global/international health tract. would love to spend half the year practicing at an academic institution and the other half in a place like haiti (about 20 years down the line :) ).

    PA is such a good route to go . . . I wasn't even aware of the programs until recently, and they seem like a pretty sweet career path.
    Edited By: Neeek Jun 28th, 2011 at 11:00 PM
  8. rebelfd rebelfd is offline

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    Jun 28th, 2011 (6/28/2011 11:07pm) in reply to Neeek

    http://www.giftoflifeinternational.o...es/contact.php
    http://www.giftoflifeinternational.o...t_missions.php

    I'm sure you could get hooked up with one of their 2011 trips.
  9. miamifunks miamifunks is offline

    Cuba

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    Jun 28th, 2011 (6/28/2011 11:15pm) in reply to rebelfd

    My cousin was one of over 50 Cuban doctors that were sent to Venezuela on a mission as part of a deal between Castro and Chavez. Lived in pretty poor conditions, rarely ate. He lasted six months and fled to US with some Venezuelan broad. Not sure how that helps, though.
  10. Frictionless Frictionless is offline

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    Jun 28th, 2011 (6/28/2011 11:30pm) in reply to miamifunks

    Yeah I wasn't thinking six months... more like a week or two at the most. Just something to get my feet wet and learn a little bit about how these kind of things work. My GF's dad is an anesthesiologist and I know he's done some things like this in the past so I'm hoping he can give me a little direction as well.

    Neek... if you're ever interested in starting up a med clinic down the line let me know, maybe we can go into practice together ;)
    Thread Starter
  11. userid363 userid363 is offline I want an undertitle

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    Jun 29th, 2011 (6/29/2011 1:26am) in reply to Frictionless

    What's the point of saving lives if you're not going to save their souls?
  12. nastysmell nastysmell is offline

    Huntsville, MO
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    Jun 29th, 2011 (6/29/2011 3:30am) in reply to userid363

    thank for Your service friction!
  13. Neeek Neeek is offline

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    Jun 29th, 2011 (6/29/2011 4:43am) in reply to Frictionless

     
    Originally Posted by Frictionless View Post

    Neek... if you're ever interested in starting up a med clinic down the line let me know, maybe we can go into practice together ;)

    sounds like a plan. meet me back here in ~10 years and we will get this shit started.

    Now all we need is a selfless millionaire to bankroll our clinic. I say we go after for niptuck. I think we can lure him in with the "tax deductible" line.
    Edited By: Neeek Jun 29th, 2011 at 04:44 AM
  14. zeppelinzoso16 zeppelinzoso16 is offline world traveler

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    Jun 29th, 2011 (6/29/2011 5:12am) in reply to Neeek

    Education lasts forever. Teaching people to wash their hands, use condoms etc.

    Neek's post reminds me of people who go and volunteer at an orphanage for a month. Hang out with children who were abandoned and have no consistent adults in their life to look up to, rely on, or trust etc/. Then after a month once the kid starts to accept them as a daily part of their day and a little trust has been built, they abandon them. But it's a great experience and they leave feeling great about themselves...
  15. rebelfd rebelfd is offline

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    Jul 9th, 2011 (7/9/2011 1:50am) in reply to zeppelinzoso16

    lol liberals are really a bunch of debby downers.
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