Presenter: Lynne Diven, Public Health Science, Global Public Health Scholars
For my Practicum Project I traveled with MEDLIFE to Lima, Peru in January. MEDLIFE stands for Medicine, Education, and Development for Low Income Families Everywhere, which is what our group focused on throughout the entire trip. The trip consisted of Mobile Clinic Days and one Project Day. During Mobile Clinic Days I worked hand and hand with local doctors and nurses in communities that lack basic health services. I assisted by shadowing the professionals, setting up the clinic, taking vitals, and handing out prescriptions to patients. The Project Day consisted of providing a developmental project to an urban community outside a larger city that would help them access better health and education. Our developmental project for Lima was building a staircase and I worked alongside community members by passing concrete buckets up a steep, dirt hill. MEDLIFE’s mission is to create a movement to fight for equal access to healthcare, safe community living, and education. My trip with MEDLIFE allowed me to see what concerns are most prevalent in these low-income rural areas, and how education and care can make a difference in the fight for quality health care for all.
Thats really cool that you got to travel for your project, I bet it was nice to get a change of scenery! I aspire to work in the healthcare field, so this project stuck out to me. It is quite sad that many people lack access to quality healthcare. I too aspire to be able to help individuals who cannot afford healthcare or lack access to it for whatever the reason may be. I like that this program is not just tailored to healthcare, but education, and development for low income families everywhere as well. When traveling to foreign countries I know there can be some barriers that make life a tad difficult. How was it interacting with the residents…
Great presentation! I'm curious if you had trouble setting apart volunteerism and just providing the communities with the necessities they needed?
Great job with your presentation, Lynne! This trip is something that really interests me, especially for my future practicum project. I think that it is great how MEDLIFE was able to truly listen to the needs of the community and create a successful intervention. It was really awesome to hear about your experience and the passion that you had for this project. I also enjoyed being able to see the impact that you made on this community, as well as hear about the work you did in this area. If I were interested in taking a trip like this, would you have any advice to offer me? Very impressive presentation!