Access to fundamental health care is a global issue. For many communities both in the U.S. and abroad, typical obstructions to health care are accessibility and education. As first year medical students from Touro University, we hope to lessen the burden for a community in Tanzania by volunteering in the village, working directly with patients.
This summer, myself as well as 8 other medical students from Touro University will be traveling to the Shirati village in Tanzania to work at the Shirati District Hospital. This village has a population of approximately 50,000 people, many of them with very limited access to healthcare. Some people travel for hours or days to receive health care. While in Shirati, we will be partnering with the clinic, shadowing the various health care professionals during rounds and when they rotate to specific wards such as surgery and pediatrics. We will be conducting research on some of the diseases and issues most prevalent to this community, including schistosomiasis, diabetes and hypertension. In addition, we will be providing community outreach seminars to educate people about schistosomiasis screening and treatment as well as the critical Helping Babies Breathe program. This program teaches invaluable skills that will instruct individuals on quick, effective techniques on assessing and treating babies who have complications with their breathing when they are born.
In addition to offering our services to the community, this experience will present us with real-world experience in the challenges of affordable and accessible health care. We will have a practical setting to apply our clinical skills that is not easily afforded in a classroom environment. Moreover, we will spend countless hours refining our ability to interact and connect with patients, a skill essential to becoming competent and compassionate physicians. This experience will undoubtedly shape who we are as physicians. We are incredibly grateful for all the support we have seen thus far, which will allow our group to bring crucial medication and care to this extraordinary community. All proceeds will go toward purchasing medical equipment for the clinic and supplies for our research initiatives. Thank you for considering supporting us on this undertaking.
This summer, myself as well as 8 other medical students from Touro University will be traveling to the Shirati village in Tanzania to work at the Shirati District Hospital. This village has a population of approximately 50,000 people, many of them with very limited access to healthcare. Some people travel for hours or days to receive health care. While in Shirati, we will be partnering with the clinic, shadowing the various health care professionals during rounds and when they rotate to specific wards such as surgery and pediatrics. We will be conducting research on some of the diseases and issues most prevalent to this community, including schistosomiasis, diabetes and hypertension. In addition, we will be providing community outreach seminars to educate people about schistosomiasis screening and treatment as well as the critical Helping Babies Breathe program. This program teaches invaluable skills that will instruct individuals on quick, effective techniques on assessing and treating babies who have complications with their breathing when they are born.
In addition to offering our services to the community, this experience will present us with real-world experience in the challenges of affordable and accessible health care. We will have a practical setting to apply our clinical skills that is not easily afforded in a classroom environment. Moreover, we will spend countless hours refining our ability to interact and connect with patients, a skill essential to becoming competent and compassionate physicians. This experience will undoubtedly shape who we are as physicians. We are incredibly grateful for all the support we have seen thus far, which will allow our group to bring crucial medication and care to this extraordinary community. All proceeds will go toward purchasing medical equipment for the clinic and supplies for our research initiatives. Thank you for considering supporting us on this undertaking.
Organizer
Adam Freeman
Organizer
Vallejo, CA