Abstract of Project:

I am a biology major looking to go to medical school. For my EDGE project I will be traveling to San Juan de la Maguana, Dominican Republic from December 15th-23rd, 2017 in order to learn about health care, practice working with patients, and provide health screenings, medications, and food to underserved communities. I will make this trip to the Dominican Republic with a group of about 15 other students that are part of the Rural Health Scholars program at SUU. SUU partners with Solid Rock International - a Christian non-profit organization focused on transforming the body, mind, and soul of the poor in the Dominican Republic - to allow its students to gain valuable healthcare knowledge and experience. While in the Dominican Republic, I will be working with representatives from Solid Rock International in clinics to give health screenings and hand out medical/food donations. This project will provide me with meaningful experiences that show my personal interest in medicine.

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Larger Purpose:

My motivation for my EDGE project is to show my interest in healthcare and service, particularly to those in underserved communities, so that I may become a more competitive applicant in applying to medical schools. I hope that after my project I’ll be able to say that this experience exemplifies the type of physician that I want to be someday: a compassionate and charitable healthcare provider.

 

Project Goal:

For my EDGE project I will learn about health care, practice working with patients, provide health screenings, medications, and food to the people of the Dominican Republic.

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3 Outcomes:

1. If I provide health screenings, medications, and food to the people of the Dominican Republic, then I will holistically serve the poor in the Dominican Republic.

2. If I learn about health care and practice working with patients, then I will know if I want to continue to pursue a health care profession.

3. If I serve the people of the Dominican Republic with other students from the Rural Health Scholars program at SUU, then I will build relationships and make new friends that will help me in continuing my education at SUU.

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Community Significance:

For those people who either live far away from a healthcare facility or do not have the means to afford regular check-ups and medicine, our service will make a lasting impact. By offering medications, check-ups, and food freely, we will alleviate suffering, hunger, and ignorance about general medical knowledge. The quality of life that the people experience in the Dominican Republic will improve. I expect that such service will inspire me to continue in my pursuit of a healthcare career. I hope that I will gain more gratitude for the comforts and health care I enjoy as well as gain more respect for medical professionals who sacrifice their time and effort to improve the lives of those around them.

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Deliverables:

I will provide a blog detailing my experiences providing health screenings and working with patients including the amount of medications and food items handed out. My comments will include where I served, how I served, and what I learned from the people and the medical representatives. I’ll include photographs with captions and a volunteer time log of my service hours.

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Differentiation:

My particular EDGE Project will make me stand out because it will provide me an opportunity to medically serve a Spanish speaking culture. There are many local opportunities to serve in hospitals or clinics to a predominantly English speaking population, but few opportunities to serve a Latino or Spanish speaking population. Big cities and small communities like ours in the United States are becoming more and more diverse, and there is a great need for physicians who can speak Spanish in order to treat and care for patients whose native language is Spanish. I lived for two years in Argentina as an LDS missionary and am fluent in Spanish. Being bilingual will make me stand out from other pre-medicine students applying to medical schools, and having served a Spanish speaking culture will show that I am proficient in not only the language but also show I have the ability to use Spanish in the medical field.

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Estimated Costs:

• $1,800 for travel expenses, meals, and lodging.

• $1,100 worth of donated medications.

• $965 worth of volunteer time - according to Independent Sector’s estimate of the value of volunteer time in May of 2016.

• $250 for camera used to take pictures.

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Estimated Timeline:

My project will start December 16th, 2017 when I arrive in the Dominican Republic and end December 23rd, 2017 when I leave from the Dominican Republic. It is estimated that I will do health screenings and hand out medications and/or food in clinics around the city of San Juan de la Maguana 8 hours a day Monday, December 18th through Friday, December 22nd for a total of 40 hours. By the end of the week our group’s goal is to have handed out all of the donation items that we brought with us including medications, food, and hygiene products. Sunday December 17th I may spend a few hours teaching illiterate children how to read the Bible with members from Solid Rock International.