Program Reviews

I had an incredible experience with Vida Guatemala over New Years 2015-2016. The experience I gained at clinics was great. Volunteers work in pairs, and with an interpreter, and fill out a paper chart of the rural patient's current concerns and health history. Volunteers formulate the right questions to lead to a diagnosis, which is proposed to a local physician. The physicians all did a great job of educating the student volunteers on what other questions needed to be asked, signs and symptoms to check for, and where they went in the correct or incorrect directions when diagnosing the individual. Then, the physician asks questions to formulate the true diagnosis and the patient receives free medication or a referral to another external clinic. In this program setup I was able to see 10-12 patients/families per day, and learned a ton of medical knowledge. The clinics are well run, safe, and reputable. Being conducted in isolated areas means my participation in the program brought healthcare to those towns and had a true impact. Hearing of the poverty and health disparities was a great educational experience and impacted my future medical practice and goals significantly. This program helped solidify my career choice as a physician, and as an incoming medical student I am sure this knowledge will help me and my peers be more aware of global health situations.

Trips every few days were fun, there was a beautiful lake to see (Atitlan), accommodations were nice. Everything was safe, and we received appropriate amounts of guided excursions and free time. I always felt supported by the local staff, and was well supported prior to travel to the country.

Had an amazing time with my friends. Brought us together As a medical and surgical team. Improved my physical exam skills. Learned about a lot of diseases that we may not see commonly in a US veterinary clinic. Learned how to communicate in a language I was not familiar with Really opened my eyes to pet care in a third world country. Earned a grant from UW Wisconsin for our work in educating these children on how to take care of an animal. Wish I could have gained more surgical skills. I would love to go back in the future as a veterinarian, and Teacher. This won't let me leave a review unless it's 200 characters, which I find really really unfair. Because I have some good things to say about the program. Am I at 200 characters yet?

We travelled to many different towns and villages. Clinics were about 8-9 hours a day, but the patients made time fly. The doctors were knowledgable and loved to teach. Side trips were great too. Cliff diving in Lake Atitlan, zip lining, etc.

I've been doing VIDA trips for 5 years now.. This has been my fourth trip, and my first in Guatemala... all I can say is it was amazing! We had our homestays in Ixtahuacan for only 2 nights, and I wish we could have stayed longer. We also visited Panajachel and Antigua. The country is breathtaking, the people are extremely nice and hospitable, the shopping opportunities are endlessly filled with beautiful textiles, the food is delicious, and the program was fantastic.

I've been on two VIDA veterinary trips--last year in Costa Rica and this year in Guatemala--and I have to say that this year was even better than last year! The areas that we went were spectacular and had enough patients to keep us busy, while the recreational days were beyond amazing. Can't wait to go next year!

I have a whole journal of the amazing experiences I had on this trip. But in summary, the clinic days are extremely interactive, you learn an incredible amount from the amazing doctors that work with VIDA, you are surrounded by like minded-motivated-hard working people, you form many close relationships and you also learn a lot about yourself. Additionally, with all of the self-growth this trip provides you the opportunity to take advantage of, the staff here also make the trip an amazing time, and will do everything in their power to help each volunteer get the most out of the trip and have fun.

This three week experience was the best experience I have ever had. The VIDA staff are all exceptional and very well educated and helpful. I never felt unsafe at any time, even when we were not in the greatest parts of Nicaragua. Our personal leader was Amy, and I would recommend her to each and every person who has the chance to experience Nicaragua through VIDA. Each morning we had breakfast at our hotel, got on the bus that was always on time waiting for us, and did our daily activities (traveling to clinics, hospitals, preschools, health centers, etc). VIDA provided us lunch many of the days and then we had the opportunity multiple times to eat dinner as a group somewhere in Masaya, Nicaragua. The days were long at times but if there was ever a time where we felt that something that was planned was too much for us, there was never an issue making other plans. We were always VIDA's first priority, which was a wonderful feeling that I didn't think I would have traveling abroad. I hope to go back someday!

The trip to Nicaragua was absolutely amazing. The vida staff, doctors, and interpreters were fabulous and really helpful. I am really looking forward to going back to volunteer for Vida in the future!

We ran out of several medications, some of our most common ones, which made it tough to serve the communities best. Our trip leaders, Edo and Tagni, were fantastic. In addition, VIDA seems to have an exquisite knack for choosing amazing interpreters. The care, dedication, and professionalism shown by interpreters such as Rodrigo, Jorge, and Felipe on our trip were indicative of an organizational culture and process that promotes the right values.

As a pre-vet student, I need all the help I can get when it comes to gaining hands-on experience. This trip really exposed me to many new things and allowed me to participate in ways I never knew that I would be allowed to as only a pre-vet student. I learned so many things that I cannot even describe it all, you just have to go for yourself to see what I mean! I definitely want to go again in the future!