medical missions

[jintonic5]

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interested in going to an underserved region in the world for next summer, but after discussing it with my parents, it came out to a cost-benefit question.

is it worth a couple of grand to go on one of htese trips? or will solid clinical experience/volunteer work at home be just as good?

also, if anyone has done something of this nature, do you know if there are grants available? i'm already out of college, so i cannot turn to my alma mater as a resource (definitely something i should have taken advantage of during college! 😡 )

thx guys!

 

[SailCrazy]

interested in going to an underserved region in the world for next summer, but after discussing it with my parents, it came out to a cost-benefit question.

is it worth a couple of grand to go on one of htese trips? or will solid clinical experience/volunteer work at home be just as good?

also, if anyone has done something of this nature, do you know if there are grants available? i'm already out of college, so i cannot turn to my alma mater as a resource (definitely something i should have taken advantage of during college! 😡 )

thx guys!

IMHO, you don't go on a medical mission trip because of a cost/benefit decision to make your application look better. If that is truly your thinking, then skip the trip. It probably won't seem "worth it." 👎

If, however, your own thought process is not so limited, I would say that the personal benefits of attending such a trip far outweigh the costs, and I can not recommend it highly enough. 👍 🙂 👍

If you do go, be sure to research the different organizations to find one that is right for you. There are a lot of different philosophies out there. Not to hijack your thread, but I am offended and disgusted by the groups that supposedly go in the name of helping the less fortunate, but refuse to treat people who aren't converting to Christianity. My experience would not have been positive if I'd gone with one of these groups. For others that is exactly the experience they are looking for.

 

[jintonic5]

IMHO, you don't go on a medical mission trip because of a cost/benefit decision to make your application look better. If that is truely your thinking, then skip the trip. It probably won't seem "worth it." 👎

If, however, your own thought process is not so limited, I would say that the personal benefits of attending such a trip far outweigh the costs, and I can not recommend it highly enough. 👍 🙂 👍

If you do go, be sure to research the different organizations to find one that is right for you. There are a lot of different philosophies out there. Not to hijack your thread, but I am offended and disgusted by the groups that supposidly go in the name of helping the less fortunate, but refuse to treat people who aren't converting to Christianity. My experience would not have been positive if I'd gone with one of these groups. For others that is exactly the experience they are looking for.

hi sailcrazy-- i didn't mean for my original post to sound so shallow-- i've always wanted to travel and help others while learning about their culture and experiences. unfortunately, it's one of those things where i am not financially independent, and ultimately what choices i make will become a monetary cost to my parents. because of this, i'm trying to discern whether i could honestly justify the cost to them in terms of it being an investment into my future.
I feel selfish going across the world to help others in the name of personal growth... and then having mom and dad foot the bill =T.

does anyone know how reliable groups listed on www.volunteerabroad.com are? i'd prefer something secular.

 

[SailCrazy]

hi sailcrazy-- i didn't mean for my original post to sound so shallow-- i've always wanted to travel and help others while learning about their culture and experiences.

I understand, and thought that might be the case. I think it is definitely worth it. Personally, my trip to Honduras ended up being the vehicle through which I told my personal statement, so it probably was worth the $$$ even from a strict cost/benefit analysis because it allowed me to come up with an essay that I was really happy with.

It is definitely a significant cost, but like I said, I can't recommend it highly enough.

 

[ti89]

I truly enjoyed my overseas experiences. While it is quite expensive if you can find the funding (there are quite a few places that can help), I would reccomend going. Liks Sail said make sure you do research on the organization because some are very bad while others are great. Luckily the ones I went on were good.

 

[anystream]

I truly enjoyed my overseas experiences. While it is quite expensive if you can find the funding (there are quite a few places that can help), I would reccomend going. Liks Sail said make sure you do research on the organization because some are very bad while others are great. Luckily the ones I went on were good.

After you find an organization to go through, they should be able to help you come up with ideas for grants and fund-raising. The fund-raising process is no walk in the park, and will require your time and dedication. However, it can be a great exercise in leadership, initiative and public-speaking that takes place even BEFORE you depart from the country.

Things that worked for me:
-letter writing to family and friends
-I got a $1000 donation from a company that does work in the country, had a friend who worked there and gave me the connections (this works well once you have already found a program to go through, since it allows the company to get a nice tax write-off!)
-you might want to try to contact your local rotary club or church (my sister raised $500 in one day by speaking at our rotary club!) Churches can also be filled with elderly people with big hearts and deep pockets, even if your trip doesn't have a religious focus (my didn't), people are often moved by the idea of a young college student trying to help out


My advice: find a program first. Once you are passionate about something that you are working towards, it makes attaining your goal THAT much easier

 

[boogzaiyo]

I truly enjoyed my overseas experiences. While it is quite expensive if you can find the funding (there are quite a few places that can help), I would reccomend going. Liks Sail said make sure you do research on the organization because some are very bad while others are great. Luckily the ones I went on were good.

care to share which ones those were? 🙂 ive looked into a lot of organizations, and most are pretty similar in terms of costs and hands-on volunteer opportunities. if you could leave feedback on any particular ones, or organizations you know of, that would be appreciated.

 

[veruckt]

I personally went to Ecuador with a group of students(premed and post bac) and 2 docs. A few of us started a nonprofit, and we go on annual trips to Ecuador to set up day clinics in indigenous villages, and we are planning on bringing a surgeoun next year and performing about 20+ surgeries over 2 months. Though we are centered near University of Maine, we are open to people from other areas and schools.

On a personal level, it was the most awesome experience of my life. It truely solidified my motivation to be a doc. Though i imagine you can get the same from some core clinical experience. I think everyone should spend some time in a third world country if you can, gives you a different perspective.
As for costs, we paid only our travel expenses which was about 1200$US, and fundraise the med supplies and such.

If you are interested in working with us in particular pm me.

 

[dopaminophile]

Whatever your motivations for going or your parents motivations for paying, go on the trip. It will completely throw your expectations right out the window and it will be a life-changing experience. At least it was for me.

As far as cost effectiveness, I find that organizations tend to suck up an enormous amount of money in administrative fees. Even if only 10% of the cost of your trip goes to administration and organization, that can be several hundred dollars. When I went to Southeast Asia, I just found a clinic, got in contact with the director, and went. I organized all of my own transportation and found a place to stay when I got there. The "extra" money that I had was then able to go directly to the care of my patients and to the benefit of the clinic's local operations.

However, while I don't care for the whole organized trip mentality, it sure would take a lot of the stress out of a shorter term (2-4 week) trip. I went for several months and have gone a couple of times, so I dodn't find it particularly beneficial.

My favorite website in the world is www.imva.org. It will have an organization (or lack thereof) of whatever type you're looking for... anywhere that you're wanting to go. The international medical volunteer association rules the internet in my book.

good luck,

-dope-

 

[Shredder]

interested in going to an underserved region in the world for next summer, but after discussing it with my parents, it came out to a cost-benefit question.

is it worth a couple of grand to go on one of htese trips? or will solid clinical experience/volunteer work at home be just as good?

also, if anyone has done something of this nature, do you know if there are grants available? i'm already out of college, so i cannot turn to my alma mater as a resource (definitely something i should have taken advantage of during college! 😡 )

thx guys!

wait a minute...ppl pay money to do something like that?? shouldnt you be the one getting paid to go through that, or at least given break even compensation? wow, my head is spinning at some of the things premeds do and adcoms eat up

 

[Will Hunting]

wait a minute...ppl pay money to do something like that?? shouldnt you be the one getting paid to go through that, or at least given break even compensation? wow, my head is spinning at some of the things premeds do and adcoms eat up

You didn't know? Yea, it's pathetic. People do **** like this all the time. Med school is a game, much worse than college admissions to elite schools. People like you who are true in their intent are at a disadvantage compared to those who engage in all the fake pre-med stuff. I feel like a hyprocrite doing some things I could care less for, but I'm not going to put myself at a disadvantage just because I want to true. More power to you shredder.

 

[mshheaddoc]

You don't have to do the med missions. Tons of people without them get into school, its called the volunteer thing. Just showing commitment to medicine.


I'm interested in going to help. Yeah hard to believe but I'm not going to turn this thread into the "economic cost advantage of volunteering" thread. Do I think its worth it? For $1200, yeah personally I do because most of that is travelling and personal costs. And its for a good cause and learning experience. But there are some out there that you can get the bang for your buck for like 2-4 weeks for the same as a one week program. So watch where you go. I wish I had the time to do a mission prior to med school. Most likely I will just do and elective or summer off if possible. 👍

 

[ti89]

http://www.islonline.org/premeds.html

 

[jintonic5]

obviously my original post came off the wrong way... see the post after that to get a better sense of what i'm talking about.

i don't appreciate the condescending tone of the last few posts-- i realize that "the volunteer thing" is something i can learn a lot from, and it sucks that premeds "do **** like this all the time" but don't hate on the player, hate the game. all i wanted to know was whether others found their experiences in foreign medical missions to be worth the obvious financial commitment. no need to get so critical.

 

[SailCrazy]

The group I went with is called M.E.D.I.C.O. and they run trips to Honduras six times a year.

I agree with mshheaddoc, on many of these trips you have the expense of travel and personal costs. It varies from place to place. Also, the cost goes to help keep the organization running, getting supplies, discount meds, etc. After my experience I wish I had the means to pay/give more.

I don't disagree with Shredder and Will either - those who go soley for the reason of making themselves look good to adcoms are totally missing the point. However, like dopaminophile said, whatever your motiviation it is hard to go on one of these trips and not have it be a life-changing experience.

 

[Deleted member 72527]

hi sailcrazy-- i didn't mean for my original post to sound so shallow-- i've always wanted to travel and help others while learning about their culture and experiences. unfortunately, it's one of those things where i am not financially independent, and ultimately what choices i make will become a monetary cost to my parents. because of this, i'm trying to discern whether i could honestly justify the cost to them in terms of it being an investment into my future.
I feel selfish going across the world to help others in the name of personal growth... and then having mom and dad foot the bill =T.

does anyone know how reliable groups listed on www.volunteerabroad.com are? i'd prefer something secular.

The "benefits" are not AMCAS quantifiable type benefits. It's expensive. My trip cost a total of somewhere around 3K, 2K of which I came up with through grants and family donations. The remaining 1K was courtesy of Mommy and Daddy. You can make your AMCAS look just as good by staying in this country - there are lots of places you could go and lots of things you can do. With that said, I wouldn't trade my months in Africa for anything. I loved it, love the time I spent there, loved getting to know a professor who is the coolest person EVER. Were there things I could have done in the States that would have looked just as good and been much? Absolutely, but I got to see lions!

 

[CoffeeCat]

wait a minute...ppl pay money to do something like that?? shouldnt you be the one getting paid to go through that, or at least given break even compensation? wow, my head is spinning at some of the things premeds do and adcoms eat up

Yes, people do things like that and adcoms like them for it. Generally participants pay because they are benefiting themselves, not others. Is this a bad thing? Not neccessarily. You pay for the trip because you go to another country, just like you would on vacation, but you see a different side of that country, meet the people that live there and participate in something that directly helps your application. Often people will realize things about developing countries that they didn't before and sometimes they realize things about themselves.

The people of that country might receive benefits if the person visiting was a doctor with medication or surgical skills but not from a wide eyed premed - now why should some organization pay for you to go there to benefit yourself?

Adcoms like people who have done this because of the intangible effects on the person themselves - it forces you to question who you are, what America is and how people in developing countries live.

 

[unfrozencaveman]

Yes, people do things like that and adcoms like them for it. Generally they pay because they are benefiting themselves, not others. Is this a bad thing? Not neccessarily. You pay for the trip because you go to another country, just like you would on vacation, but you see a different side of that country, meet the people that live there and participate in something that directly helps your application. Often people will realize things about developing countries that they didn't before and sometimes they realize things about themselves.

The people of that country might receive benefits if the person visiting was a doctor with medication or surgical skills but not from a wide eyed premed - now why should some organization pay for you to go there to benefit yourself?

Adcoms like people who have done this because of the intangible effects on the person themselves - it forces you to question who you are, what America is and how people in developing countries live.

This was exactly my experience abroad. I didnt help anyone whatsoever but myself. This was a little frustrating- I thought I would be going over there to really do some good, and in fact, it was more analagous to going to school. I observed in hospitals, did clinical stuff I would never EVER get to do in the US as a premed, worked on an ambulance crew, and got a great view of Africa I wouldnt have on vacation. I plan to go back as a 4th year now to actually DO something to help...

The experience I ended up having made the money I threw down to go very well worth it... I regard it as very VERY well spent tuition.

 

[Will Hunting]

To the OP, I wasn't criticizing you. I know that you're sincere in going. I was just mentioning that many applicants are not. There are a lot of rich a**holes at my school who are paying to go "volunteer" in foreign countries just for the sole purpose of medical schoo. They couldn't care care less about those who they help 🙄 . That was my point, not you. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[jintonic5]

To the OP, I wasn't criticizing you. I know that you're sincere in going. I was just mentioning that many applicants are not. There are a lot of rich a**holes at my school who are paying to go "volunteer" in foreign countries just for the sole purpose of medical schoo. They couldn't care care less about those who they help 🙄 . That was my point, not you. Sorry for the confusion.

apology accepted 🙂 i think i was feeling rather defensive since, really, i would be lying if i said that i never tried to play the premed game. i'm glad that everything is clear and we can continue to be a supportive sdn family. 😛 😎

 

[doublepeak]

Why should the organizations be paying you? You are not skilled enough and more importantly they have millions of unemployed in their own country that would probably work harder for less money. You will do a lot more hands on help in a clinic then you ever would in the US, but your premed classes will not make you more valuable than a lay local. You are paying money and they are giving you an experience of a life-time (that is what I felt).

It is true that many of the organizations are more or less a travel agency that matches you up with a local organization - yes you could eliminate the middle man and find an organization or clinic to volunteer at, but that would be a lot of work and you have to deal with housing, transportation.... Some have very low administrative costs, but still ask for money...and that money is going to pay for medical equipment, etc. Personally, I would find a clinic on my own or go somewhere where you only had to pay room and board and I would give them all the money I could and bring supplies directly. But, I think that many people don't feel comfortable just going to a new country, in someplace with a completely different culture, alone (and for them they'd rather have a travel agent to make sure everything is set). When I was in South Africa, I only wish I was able to give more money because they truly needed it. It was very apparent to me that the money helped more than my presence (although it was appreciated too).

I would never trade in my experience abroad, and am setting up donation drives at my University to try and get them more money to provide ARVs and supplies. It changed my life. I will go back and work there when I become a doctor.

Your should check out this site which has a number of volunteer organizations that have accepted premed students: http://www.serveyourworld.com/articles/304/1/Premed-Volunteering-Abroad

 

[CoffeeCat]

This was exactly my experience abroad. I didnt help anyone whatsoever but myself. This was a little frustrating- I thought I would be going over there to really do some good, and in fact, it was more analagous to going to school. I observed in hospitals, did clinical stuff I would never EVER get to do in the US as a premed, worked on an ambulance crew, and got a great view of Africa I wouldnt have on vacation. I plan to go back as a 4th year now to actually DO something to help...

The experience I ended up having made the money I threw down to go very well worth it... I regard it as very VERY well spent tuition.

Hey, this was my experience after two years as a Peace Corps Volunteer! There's just not much you can directly "do" besides interacting with people and having them see a different side of America and maybe see a different way of doing things. However, the people I worked with enjoyed having me there and I learned a lot.

Maybe going back as a doctor would produce more tangible benefits to the local people...