For the second year in a row, Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine students have made the arduous journey to provide medical care to a remote village in rural Honduras. True to the mission of the College of Medicine, the journey offered the opportunity to provide integrated, evidence-based, high-value care delivered by our interprofessional teams. Many of the students have participated in medical trips to Central America before their time at the College of Medicine, but for most this is the first occasion they were able to put the skills learned during their medical training to the test, in a setting where medical care is scarce.
Blanca Morales, MS1, was especially excited to exercise her background in case management and community health work. “It marked my inaugural venture into the integration of clinical care with social and community development. I've long been committed to addressing the intricate interplay between social and medical needs. Honduras presented a unique opportunity to deepen my understanding in this domain.”
Houston is one of the most diverse cities in the United States, and with the College’s focus on primary care in underserved communities such as the Third Ward or East End, the need for strong communication skills is integral. Medical Spanish is quickly becoming more and more important at the College, with many students expanding on their own native Spanish language skills to provide enhanced care to those in our underserved communities that experience language barriers. Edgard Castillo, MS1, saw the trip to Honduras as “a valuable opportunity to give back to a community in need”.
Leading up to their departure, Castillo was anticipating the personal growth, medical decision making and use of his Medical Spanish that he expected to improve upon in real world situations. “I was also looking forward to the patient interactions and new situations I would see that I wouldn’t normally experience in a clinic here in the states. This gave me a lot of room to practice my Spanish, and I got a chance to see many clinical examinations that aren’t very common to see in the US.”
The medical trip had busy days, beginning at 6 a.m. and often going well into the evening. The clinic in Santa Ana opened at 8 a.m. and the students helped provide care for up to 100 patients a day. Unique to this excursion, they were joined by a fellow University of Houston alum, Dr. Rebecca Swicegood. With the aid of optometrist Swicegood, patients with a range of varying eyecare maladies, from glasses, eye infections and glaucoma, metallic and other foreign bodies embedded in corneas, were able to receive life-changing care. The medical students were able to gain optometric training with Swicegood that adds to their overall medical training as physicians through this integrated care experience that they wouldn’t have been able to attain elsewhere.
In addition to working with an optometrist, they were able to gain valuable experience and work with clinic leadership such as Dr. Gregorio Yanez. Yanez grew up in the Santa Ana community, but through determination and perseverance, became the town’s first medical school graduate. After working with Yanez, Jasmin Ali, MS1, had high praise for the invaluable physician. “This man is a gem, his story alone is inspiring. He is a pillar in the Santa Ana community and gives back well beyond what many of us will ever be able to do. Through him, I truly believe the community is advancing.”
Castillo, after spending just one day working with Yanez, “was reminded and given a new perspective of how fortunate I am to be doing what I’m doing with all the resources and opportunities at my disposal.”
After their clinic hours, the group heavily interacted with the community and was immersed in the rich Honduran culture. From playing games with the local children to attending meetings led by community leaders, the medical students were able to have once in a lifetime experiences.
One unforgettable moment of the trip for many students took place during a turbulent storm. The town had gathered for a women’s soccer scrimmage, and being short on players, recruited some of the medical students to participate. In a heartfelt and selfless offering, one of the players gave her soccer cleats to Morales to help her from slipping and falling on the mud-soaked field. According to Morales, “the gesture spoke volumes about the unity and generosity within the team, and further the entire Santa Ana Community.”
The students are forever changed by their time in Honduras. Morales summed up the advice of her fellow travelers to future students on the trip as “go in with an open mind. Take advantage of the time you are spending there to learn, but also to get to know the community and your classmates better. It’s a huge opportunity to use what you’ve learned in medical school and to see just how much you truly know.”
Morales’ passion is shared by many others at the College. According to her, this trip “definitely reinforced my aspirations in medicine. I have always wanted to help underserved communities, but I will now be expanding that to beyond my own city and state. I look forward to participating in more medical trips in the future!”
All in all, the journey was another resounding success. Hundreds of people were able to receive much needed medical care. Fertitta Family College of Medicine students were able to utilize and grow their medical expertise, in a real world setting that not many others can claim to also experience. The College was able to live up to its mission and values during this trip and helped improve the overall health and health care of a remote village in a far-off land. Further inroads were made between the College and the community of Santa Ana, with life-long memories and new opportunities created along the way.