Medical Brigades a Scam?

[pasta_water1]

So I found out my university had a medical brigade chapter. Being interested, I emailed the leader on campus and I got a quick email back saying that they want a 250$ deposit by the 12th and that the trip with airfare is going to be 2800$ total for a 15-day brigade to southeast Asia ( they haven't decided where in southeast Asia apparently).

Some stats about me. I'm a current applied math, bio minor sophomore at Stony Brook University ( A somewhat top public school..Well the applied math department is 4th in the country). I also have a 3.25 GPA with like a 3.35 Science if you use the ACOMAS GPA calculator. I'm also an EMT and I'm in the process of joining a local ambulance corps as well as average ECs like premed society, etc. I also have a good relationship with an Anesthesiologist and I shadow him a decent amount (Although not a DO) so I do have somewhat better opportunities here than there I guess as it sounds like I will be doing solely patient intake
I'm highly interested but I'm unsure if it is smart to drop thousands of dollars if it won't help me. So, would I really benefit anything admission wise from doing a Medical Brigade?

Website for reference: http://www.volunteersaroundtheworld.org

I also posted this on r/premed and someone mentioned that they found it meaningful as they used the clinical skills from senior year of nursing school to help out more and that as a EMT-B, I could possibly do the same. Can anyone confirm this happened to them as well?

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[kelminak]

It depends on what you're actually doing there. A lot of people see volunteering in foreign countries as "voluntourism" and you'd need to be prepared to defend what you did there as actual benevolent work. What would be much easier is just finding a local organization and volunteering there once a week to build up hours instead (plus it looks nicer that you're helping your own community).

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/are-medical-brigades-good-extracurriculars.1163176/

 

[YeezusRice]

Same but our trip is to Africa, I was told that the shadowing you do on these trips aren't looked at favorably.


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[pasta_water1]

It depends on what you're actually doing there. A lot of people see volunteering in foreign countries as "voluntourism" and you'd need to be prepared to defend what you did there as actual benevolent work. What would be much easier is just finding a local organization and volunteering there once a week to build up hours instead (plus it looks nicer that you're helping your own community).

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/are-medical-brigades-good-extracurriculars.1163176/

Would vollying at a local ambulance corps count? Or do you think I need to do more?

 

[kelminak]

Would vollying at a local ambulance corps count? Or do you think I need to do more?

If you can describe what you did and it's meaningful volunteering, then you're good. I got out of a volunteering position where I'd use an intercom to talk to patients and relay their concerns to nurses because the nurses hated me for it and I didn't feel like I was making any difference. Now I help in surgery waiting and escort families around, etc. which feels much more valuable. It just depends on how you can spin it.

 

[Goro]

Overseas medical trips are viewed as "medical tourism", but these are really about you and not about the patients. There are other negative reasons as well. In addition, many people out and out lie about taking visits back to the old country to visit Nana/Abuela/Ajima/Daadeema, taking a quick visit to the local hospital, and then calling that a "medical mission".

You really want to help people? Work in a hospice or nursing home, or Habitat for Humanity.

 

[pizza1994]

I went on a similar trip about 3-4 years back and I would suggest that if you are interested then try to understand what the organization uses the money for, your role during the trip, how the community benefits and what happens to the community once you leave...etc. If you really believe that it can be a good experience that's not only a learning opportunity for you but also benefits the community then why not? This is my two cents. The organization I went with was fantastic!

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Overseas medical trips are viewed as "medical tourism", but these are really about you and not about the patients. There are other negative reasons as well. In addition, many people out and out lie about taking visits back to the old country to visit Nana/Abuela/Ajima/Daadeema, taking a quick visit to the local hospital, and then calling that a "medical mission".

You really want to help people? Work in a hospice or nursing home, or Habitat for Humanity.

I read a great article by someone who used to go on volunteer trips to build houses who realized that unskilled rich people need to stop going on these trips to "help," because you end up just causing more work for the local population. Since you don't actually know how to build a house, they end up having to redo all your work anyway. Since you can't actually do any medicine, they have to watch you and make you do stuff that will probably be redone anyway.

 

[Goro]

Our clinical colleagues have big issues with untrained Americans doing medical work on unsuspecting Third Worlders as well.

I read a great article by someone who used to go on volunteer trips to build houses who realized that unskilled rich people need to stop going on these trips to "help," because you end up just causing more work for the local population. Since you don't actually know how to build a house, they end up having to redo all your work anyway. Since you can't actually do any medicine, they have to watch you and make you do stuff that will probably be redone anyway.

 

[CastleG8]

I read a great article by someone who used to go on volunteer trips to build houses who realized that unskilled rich people need to stop going on these trips to "help," because you end up just causing more work for the local population. Since you don't actually know how to build a house, they end up having to redo all your work anyway. Since you can't actually do any medicine, they have to watch you and make you do stuff that will probably be redone anyway.

I never thought of it that way. Interesting. Feeling unskilled is why I am picky about my volunteer activities.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

I never thought of it that way. Interesting. Feeling unskilled is why I am picky about my volunteer activities.

Yeah. The author encouraged people to volunteer, but to volunteer in ways that they have actual skills. She was good at fundraising and campaigning, so she started volunteering her time fundraising for a couple different non-profits.

 

[Go_Pokes_11]

I went last summer to Nicaragua for a week through GMB and I think many people commenting here are pretty off base because they have not been or experienced something similar. It is not tourism, there is nothing touristy about where I was located that is for sure. They also are not going to put you into something you cannot handle or will not be skilled enough to do. You are not doing the actual medical work that a nurse or physician should be doing. I can see how an adcom would be wary, but all it takes is a simple explanation on your behalf. Personally, it was a pretty eye opening experience. To those that have never been to a place that does not have consistent and quality medical care this will be one of biggest shocks you ever experience. People walked miles to come and see a physician without shoes, pregnant woman doing the same to receive prenatal care and meds. I think it is one of those things that impacts yourself mostly, it changed me for the better and at the very least made me a whole lot more appreciative for everything I have. As for the funding, my trip cost $1200 total and I raised all of it by explaining to family and friends what I was doing, most are happy to help out.

 

[OrdinaryDO]

Ugh, in all honesty this is exactly why I hate mandatory volunteerism for things like medical school admissions. People do things just to 'boost' their application with no regards for wanting to actually HELP people and LEARN from their experience. Please, do not go over there and waste your money and your time. Makes me sick "Will this help me or hurt me, because if it doesn't benefit me I don't wanna waste my time doing it!..."

Edit:

Medical tourism, like Goro mentioned, is not tourism like you and I would think about if we were to tour Paris..Just like a combat tour to Afghanistan isn't a tour like most think of when the word it mentioned. However, this kind of thing is a dim a dozen. I agree with the above posters in saying that this causes more work for the people already there. ADCOMs can usually read between the lines, I would hope, and see your real motives behind a trip like that. If you learned something and grew from that experience, then great! but, in your interview you better be good at conveying they information in a manner that sheds light on those facts as opposed as just a resume builder.

I went last summer to Nicaragua for a week through GMB and I think many people commenting here are pretty off base because they have not been or experienced something similar. It is not tourism, there is nothing touristy about where I was located that is for sure. They also are not going to put you into something you cannot handle or will not be skilled enough to do. You are not doing the actual medical work that a nurse or physician should be doing. I can see how an adcom would be wary, but all it takes is a simple explanation on your behalf. Personally, it was a pretty eye opening experience. To those that have never been to a place that does not have consistent and quality medical care this will be one of biggest shocks you ever experience. People walked miles to come and see a physician without shoes, pregnant woman doing the same to receive prenatal care and meds. I think it is one of those things that impacts yourself mostly, it changed me for the better and at the very least made me a whole lot more appreciative for everything I have. As for the funding, my trip cost $1200 total and I raised all of it by explaining to family and friends what I was doing, most are happy to help out.

 

[68PGunner]

Why pay out of pocket for this?

You can get 10x the experience and the prestige factor by enlisting for a deployment to Iraq, Afghanistan, or Syria right now. Did I forget to mention that you get paid on top of that? All deployed servicemembers came back with luxury cars. You can be one too. Uncle Sam wants you! You're special.

 

[Go_Pokes_11]

I did not pay out of pocket, all the money was fundraised, I did not spend a cent of my own money. I am very confident in explaining my reasoning, I did it for myself not to pat my resume, plus I am not naive I knew going on the trip would not get me into school.