Medical Missions Trips? What exactly do you do?

[DOwnage]

I was wondering if anyone here had experience with or knew someone with medical missions trip experiences? I always envisioned them as a large group led by health care professionals, possibly affiliated with a certain organization, where they set up shop in a really rural part of another country and provide free medical services. Am I wrong in how I picture them?

I have an opportunity to get some health care experience in a third world country. There are two possibilities: Working with local doctors and providing free care, or if that doesn't happen, working at the local hospital as a volunteer. This does not match up with how I pictured missions trips as mentioned above; does this opportunity qualify as a "medical missions trip"? Is there a strict definition for what medical missions trips are in the eyes of admissions committees? I want to avoid misrepresenting myself during application time.

Medical missions do look good on resumes, but I think the more important thing to take away from this is the ability to provide more hands-on services to the extremely poor (way poorer than 99% of the US population). At the same time, trying to provide any meaningful service in the US health care system is difficult to acquire after you slash your way through the jungle of red tape.

Can anyone with medical missions experience or knowledge share their thoughts with me on figuring out if this experience qualifies as a missions trip? Thank you!

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[uclaussr]

i have gone on 2 medical missin trips and i have to say they have both been absolutely amazing. you get rare hands on medical experience, since they would never let a premed touch a patient in the states. you get to learn a lot about the different culture of different cultures and do the equivalent of a medical student/ resident in clinic. pm me for more info

 

[ArkansasRanger]

I was wondering if anyone here had experience with or knew someone with medical missions trip experiences? I always envisioned them as a large group led by health care professionals, possibly affiliated with a certain organization, where they set up shop in a really rural part of another country and provide free medical services. Am I wrong in how I picture them?

I have an opportunity to get some health care experience in a third world country. There are two possibilities: Working with local doctors and providing free care, or if that doesn't happen, working at the local hospital as a volunteer. This does not match up with how I pictured missions trips as mentioned above; does this opportunity qualify as a "medical missions trip"? Is there a strict definition for what medical missions trips are in the eyes of admissions committees? I want to avoid misrepresenting myself during application time.

Medical missions do look good on resumes, but I think the more important thing to take away from this is the ability to provide more hands-on services to the extremely poor (way poorer than 99% of the US population). At the same time, trying to provide any meaningful service in the US health care system is difficult to acquire after you slash your way through the jungle of red tape.

Can anyone with medical missions experience or knowledge share their thoughts with me on figuring out if this experience qualifies as a missions trip? Thank you!

Search out a guy the boards named EMEDPA. He's very articulate, worth talking to, and he has done a number of medical missions.

 

[SweetRain]

It depends on which organization you work with. Ones like Unite for Sight are pretty good, since you get real experience and there is no program fee.

Most of the time you are paying thousands of dollars for this "unique" experience and helping people. I was once interested in volunteering abroad until I realized that they don't really need me there because I'm not a trained medical personnel yet. Honestly, the people there are just fine without college premeds.

I cancelled my flight to Kenya when I realized it. Instead I did fundraising and medical textbook drive for the third world countries. I also do a lot of immigration health care volunteer in my local community.

Volunteering abroad gives you a different perspective and it's a good experience, but always remember that there are underserved population in your own country which is where you would most likely get a job!