Jessica Top:
Absolutely Absolutely Absolutely!!! This has been one of the most
incredible experiences I’ve had. Okay, let’s put the amazing exposure to
a beautiful country, beautiful people, and time spent in a tropical
climate aside. Medically, it has sharpened me. A student is forced in
this environment to think critically about clinical presentation without
the diagnostic tests we have in the States. It forces a student to a
new level of disease understanding. This trips environment was one of
freedom in which a student can have a great deal of autonomy. It’s a
great first step into residency. Also, the diseases and presentation of
illness we have encountered are different than what’s seen in the US.
What a great intro to tropical medicine! But my favorite part of this
trip was the relationships that were built…with my team and the
Haitians. I learned about another culture and made new friends within
it. Loved it.
Thank You Sanford Health
Angela Coch:
Yes most definitely! This experience was so amazing. Yes I became home sick a couple times, but Walker ad Prescott got me through it I think! And Just having such amazing new friends! The Translators will be mostly missed! Today I stayed at the Orphanage and walked down to clinic and was able to see a couple of re check patients from the day before, and also some others that needed some nursing assistance. Today thou was quite hard, Missed my kids so much! With youth group the last few nights here, had really awakened my priorities! The people have so much faith and so much more sense of pride than most of us! The things that they value the most is there are god and family. And to me I wish America was more like that. People here have so much respect and love for one another! Electricity is a luxury here, to us we take it for granted! we take a lot for granted! My life now I will look at in a way diff way and do many diff things that I have learned here and take with me and teach my children. God Bless All! Black, White, Male, or Female. So I think everyone should experience this! I was honored and grateful for this opportunity! but IK this was not an accident! It was for a reason!
Alicia Palmer:
This is finally a blog post that I don’t have to stop and think about. This is an opportunity that everyone should take advantage of.
From a medical standpoint, the things that you will see and the way that you have to think while practicing medicine with limited resources is an invaluable experience that will help shape the way you practice as a physician. Not having access to lab tests and X-rays means stopping to think critically about the symptom picture, your physical findings, and the most likely outcomes. When you don’t have tests to confirm a diagnosis, you are left with your diagnostic skills and your knowledge. I was also reminded how invaluable it is to have a fellow practitioner to consult with and share ideas with. When you’re seeing things like Syphilis, necrotizing otitis externa, and TB, it is so important to have someone else who can confirm you’re actually seeing what you think you’re seeing. Finally, when your treatment options are limited to the few drugs you hauled up the mountain with you, you are forced to think about alternative treatments, what antibiotics work best for what bugs, and how you might use a medication with a certain mechanism of action in a way that it isn’t usually used. The skills I learned in Haiti will help me think critically and rely on my own skills instead of expensive laboratory tests.
From the non medical standpoint, of course it was a great trip. The feeling of standing atop a mountain that you’ve been trekking up and down for three hours, looking at the ocean, and feeling the wind in your face is unbeatable. The people of Haiti have an amazing outlook on life in the face of such poverty, it is truly inspiring. The faith of the Haitian people despite their difficult circumstances is also a reminder of how blessed we are in the US. The moral of the story here is, not only do I recommend a mission trip to Haiti, if I had the chance I would gladly come with you if I could!
Kelly Evans:
Yes. Hands down, absolutely, yes, I would recommend a trip like the one we are wrapping up today. This trip was the first of its kind in my life, and though I don’t think I completely understand its impact on my life and career just yet, I know it will be significant and positive. There are many tangible reasons that the trip was beneficial for Kelly the medical student: unmatched autonomy (and the improved confidence that goes along with it), unusual diagnoses that I may never see in the US