Olivia Patsos, COM '22
What were some of your big takeaways from the experience?
I think my biggest takeaway from the experience was how humbling it was. It really put into perspective the amount many of us take for granted here in the US. Not just in terms of health care, but everyday life. That being said, it was also inspiring for me, because I realized many of the health issues faced worldwide are still being faced here as well. Whether I’m practicing in the US, or volunteering abroad (which I do hope to continue to do in the future), I know I want to continue to provide access where it is needed most.
Why do you think medical missions are important? How would you recommend the experience to other students?
I think medical service trips are important for the same reasons mentioned above. It is a humbling, but inspiring experience that really puts our world of health care into a new perspective. I also think it’s important to learn about and be immersed in different cultures throughout your life. I’ve found that the more people I’ve met around the world, the more I can appreciate different ways of life, but also appreciate how similar we are at the core. I would highly recommend students to participate in a medical service trip at least once in their career. Whether it’s through Global Health Club or out on their own, the experience is certainly life changing.
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How did you become involved?
I became involved with the Panama Global Health Service Trip from being a member of the UNE COM Global Health Club. This club works a lot with providing medical support to underserved areas. After learning that the club was planning to travel to Panama with an organization called Floating Doctors, focused on longitudinal health care abroad, trustworthy medical service, and culturally competent practices, I knew this was a trip for me!
Tell me about your experience.
We traveled to Bocas del Toro, Panama where we met with the
Floating Doctors staff. From here, we stayed on a remote island
not far from the mainland at basecamp. Personally, my favorite part of basecamp was seeing the diverse wildlife in the area – flowers, fish, and even wild turkeys populated the island. In addition, there was a kinkajou on base, which is an animal that is a mix of a cat and a monkey. Literally the cutest and low-key most terrifying thing I’ve seen but he was so nice to people and loved to be scratched! We traveled to Pueblo Nuevo for a few nights where we slept in hammocks, ate a LOT of rice and beans, and set up our “clinic” by 7 AM.
I had a few roles on our trip where I first took intake of patients including their vitals and medical history – here I was able to practice my Spanish and communication skills. In the afternoon, I shadowed Dr. Frothingham, DO '01, an OMM specialist from UNE COM, who supervised me while I took a pertinent medical history and actually treated patients using osteopathic manipulative treatments. I learned two new techniques and absolutely loved this experience. I was able to sharpen my medical skills and communication skills on this trip, which I am extremely grateful for!