Program Reviews

Not only was my experience with Gap Medics eye opening in the best way, it was fun, well-organized and seriously the trip of a lifetime. Every morning I was able to spend hours observing patients and learning from my amazing mentors. Then, the afternoon brought activities such as visiting nearby beaches, dune-buggying and helping to build a school. Every single person I met greeted me with open arms and treated me with upmost respect. I met lifelong friends and learned information far beyond what a classroom setting can offer. My favorite moment of the trip was experiencing my first natural birth. It was hectic and nerve-racking yet beautiful at the same time. I cried (happy tears!!!) when I watched the mother lay eyes on her baby for the first time and my heart swelled with joy. The following days I got to witness several other natural births and C-sections and they never failed to amaze me over and over again. This trip provided me with excitement and motivation for pursuing a medical career in the future and I highly recommend students at any level to consider studying with Gap Medics.

I stayed in Tanzania for 2 weeks, on the under 18s programme in Morogoro. Initially, the thought of flying alone was daunting, especially because I was only 16 at the time, but I was put at ease when I met other friendly students at the airport. At Dar es Salaam airport, we were met by Clarence who was really friendly and kind, and ensured that we were safely transported to the hotel near the airport. The following morning, we all enjoyed breakfast together, and then drove to the lodge in Morogoro. The facilities, like the pool and volleyball nets, in the lodge were great, and the food was amazing! The House Staff were brilliant, and I immediately felt safe, and cared for, even when I had to visit the doctor!

The first week of my placement was a surgery rotation, where I observed pre and post surgical treatments, as well as numerous live surgeries. The doctors and nurses were really supportive and made sure that I felt comfortable to ask questions, and that I was able to make the most of my placement. The surgeries I observed were really eye-opening and provided huge clinical exposure; more than anything I was able to find in the UK. We were really involved with the doctors and nurses, and were able to speak to the patients freely.

The second week of my placement was General Medicine, which again was great! I was able to see a variety of different treatments, including surgery, anti and post natal check ups, and some dental treatments. The doctors and nurses again were really kind, and made sure that we were safe, but also learnt from the observations and experiences we are provided with throughout the programme.

The safari weekend was amazing, and was a once in a lifetime experience! I really would recommend the safari to anyone going to Tanzania!

The placement provided not only a vast learning experience, but a very enjoyable time, where I was able to grow more confident as a person. I am most grateful for the support and kindness from everyone in the Morogoro camp. The other students were really friendly, and we're all still in touch now! I was lucky enough to secure offers to study Medicine at university, and I feel that a vital part of my application was the ability to compare and reflect on healthcare systems, and to speak of my experiences in Tanzania, and more importantly, the important skills and morals it instilled.

It was an amazing experience which helped me grow and learn. I learned more in those two weeks than years before that due to the great teaching and the environment that we were in. The facilities were amazing and the staff were incredibly kind and caring. They went out of there way to help and look after everyone who took part in the program. We had an amazing time in the hospitals but the other activities which where all arranged by the team were equally amazing. I loved the orphanage, spending time with the children was humbling and fun. We learned a lot from them. I made some amazing friends and would love to return.

My community placement was week 4 of the trip. Despite loving every moment of my stay in La Romana, I was beginning to feel tired and ready to go home. I was worried that Community might be overwhelming in terms of the hours and the heat. However, to my delight upon arriving on our first day our mentors greeted us with enthusiasm and excitement. They were extremely reasonable and accommodating and made it clear that our happiness and learning experience was very important to them. For the remainder of the week I got to hang out with them, share stories, learn (and stay in the shade). I got hands-on experience with real patients and was allowed to ask them questions, suggest treatments, take blood pressure, and listen to/monitor vitals. It was amazing, by far my favorite week.

It must be an incredible trip when you are already planning when you can do it again whilst on the plane trip home?
I could write countless pages about my experience with Gap Medics but I think three words sum it up better than any essay could: unforgettable, challenging and inspiring. Exposure to the harsh reality of Tanzania's impoverishment was an incredible culture shock and was certainly nothing short of challenging. Now I know some might read the word 'challenging' and be discouraged, but I can't emphasise enough the positive impact this has had on me as a 19 year old Uni student. I highly encourage anyone considering Gap Medics to take on this challenge and immerse themselves in an amazing trip that no review on a travel website could suffice.

I really enjoyed the time we were able to spend at the orphanage. That wasn't really focused on when I read through the trip description. I was pleasantly surprised that we were able to meet and bond with the children there. I was also surprised at how close we were to all the action going on inside of the hospital. I didn't really know what to expect before arriving, but I never imagined that we would be able to get such up close exposure to the extensive surgeries we saw. I was literally five feet away from the orthopedic surgeon as he replaced a man's knee cap! And the doctors there were super professional, but also very kind. And if their department was having a bit of a slow day, they still made sure that you got to see something exciting by having you watch other operations in different departments. I was in Urology one week and Orthopedic surgery the next, but still was able to witness a c-section birth as well as a little of a spine surgery. The experience I gained in Thailand as well as the fun I had meeting new people and making new friends was well worth the cost of the trip.

Met a lot of friends I wouldn't have been able to meet :)
Being placed in a program for the 2 weeks i was there really enabled me to make close relationships with people from all around the world.
The program enabled us to have something in common, GapMedics, making it much easier to start conversations and share which field of medicine we were interested in.
Additionally, it felt like the experience flew by and yet was such a long time. It felt like I had known the other members living at the house for a much longer time than I had actually. This might be because living together enabled us to see each other constantly and make lots of memories.
What I really enjoyed was the amount of freedom GapMedics gave us. We could go to the mall and spend lots of times with friends doing what we wanted. Additionally, Krakow was lots of fun to visit!

Cholecystectomy is a surgical procedure of gall bladder removal due to various reasons including gall stones. From the morning, we followed our mentor and the general surgery team to each of the rooms to do check ups. Particularly, one of the patients was admitted and to be operated due to gall stones. We observed how the surgeon physically examined the patients bowel and despite they had a little conversation in Polish, our mentor was very enthusiastic in explaining what they discussed which made us feel part of the team. Scrub up and get into the operating theatre! We observed very closely to how the team set up and carried out the procedures with a very good, clear view of operation through a monitor as the operation involved laparoscopic work. The mentor was very patient and explained very little detail to us and was very happy to answer all of our gaps in knowledge. Overall, we had different procedures almost everyday for a week, so you can imagine how much you can learn from it.

Being able to share my fascination for science and medicine with other people isn't something I've ever really been able to do before. Meeting 50 new friends all at once who understand me was just amazing. Being able to show doctors my enthusiasm and have them tell me that they were just like me once, and that I'll be a great doctor in the future; that's something that money can't buy. I have never felt like I fit in more than I did on this placement.
Of course, the actual work experience was also amazing and very worthwhile and exciting! But the main part for me was being able to socialise with others who get it.

The month I spent in Poland was the best month i've had to learn so much and have a lot of fun. I miss it so much and hope to go back again! By far, my most favourite part was being in Neurosurgery, which I ended up doing for 2 weeks. It was absolutely amazing and I hope to be just like some of the surgeons when I grow up. I grew in confidence and learned whats its like to be in surgery. I was absolutely amazed and awstruck with the abilities of the surgeons and became mezmorized during surgery. The girls at the house were so amazing and I miss Tatianna the most because she always checked in on me and she was super easy to talk to! Thanks to Ewa the food was always the best and I never went hungry! Being in Poland confirmed my love for medicine and especially for the amazing brain and everything that it's capable of.