“i hear the baby’s heartbeat!” “What the heck is a pterygium? “. A Dextrocardia?”
“ i’m scared I won’t know what I am doing.” “Wow. I really don’t know anything.”
“Today, I feel like I belong!” “She hugged me. I don’t know what I did...”. “He can read his Bible.”
“ Did I make a small difference?” “His blood sugar is 400! “
Here is a little report on the recent Caravan which included 9 medical students from Eastern VA Medical School. 20 people in all, including 4 medical specialists, nurses, and a music therapist.
More than 500 people were seen in that week, and though the organization of such a group was challenging, the week was a rousing success by all standards. The students were all friendly, respectful, enthusiastic, and eager to learn. The students rotated stations where they learned not just the task of checking blood sugars, fitting eye glasses, but the medical, clinical and cultural reason behind it. The physicians took time to explain, teach. So many ailments, those chronic ones, like at home, and those unusual to us, but common to the people in this area. Patients loved the specialties, OB/gyne, Family Practice, and 2pediatricians. There was a global health specialist. I especially enjoyed the consultations with these physicians.
The students readily admitted over a week of working, and debriefing on the roof, that they have grown, overcome their fears, learned and seen so much, that they know their lives, their hearts, and their approach to medicine has been changed, as well.
It was a wild and crazy week! They left in a whirlwind late on Friday, after choosing to forego the day in San Cristobal in order to hold clinic for another 1/2 day, and see an additional 80 patients. Sweet...
Whew....
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