Program Reviews

VIDA gave me the opportunity to be hands on with a profession I had only been convinced of doing through shadowing and science classes. The medical experience VIDA gives was the primary way I determined that a career as a doctor would be the right path for me. My hands on experiences have included seeing a congenital disease where the the iris of the patient was missing in one eye, and understanding the effects of long term untreated diabetes on the body. While VIDA may not be as long or as recreational as other trips, there are still many opportunities for fun, and the clinical experience and service are always forefront throughout the program.

As a volunteer in the Veterinary program, I found it very eye opening to see how animals are viewed/treated in Central America and how clinics are set up to offer medical services for them. It was also very eye opening for me to see how people in this culture live in rural communities. The food was always so fresh and the people were always warm and friendly. And the country itself was absolutely gorgeous. Although awkward if you don't know Spanish and the family you stay with doesn't know English, it was definitely worth staying in a homestay because it really gives you the full effect of the culture. As for highlights, it felt so good to help out needy communities and to send dogs home with brand new collars and leashes who had come in to the clinic with rusty chains around their necks. Knowing you are not only providing a service for the community, but educating them so that they may make better decisions for their animals makes you feel like you are making a real difference in the world. I experienced a couple of difficulties on this trip. Not knowing much Spanish did make it difficult to communicate with people there; however, there was always someone in my group to help me out. Another difficulty was the fact that they don't use gas anesthesia on patients. All of the anesthesia was intravenous so this made it quite stressful (for me, at least) when monitoring the animal during surgery. But in the end, I would definitely do this trip again!!

This trip was incredible. Getting to know staff, other volunteers, and patients at the clinics was incredible. On this is trip, you might be out of the your comfort zone, but that will turn out to be such a blessing. As our coordinator often said, the more you put into this trip, the more you put will get out of this trip! During this trip, remember to keep in mind that your primary concern is to help other people and try not to get too frustrated with hot clinic locations or uncomfortable bathroom situations. Overall, this trip will be one to remember forever, and it will change your life!

I have been to many different countries: Italy, England, Mexico, Grand Cayman, and Jamaica. I went on a VIDA trip to Costa Rica and Nicaragua last summer and it was by far my favorite vacation of all time! We were doing things that really made a difference in the world. The people were so thankful and it was a very heartwarming experience. Zip-lining was so much fun and the resort we stayed at in Costa Rica was a blast! The views were the most breathtaking scenes I have ever experienced in a country. The only bad thing about my trip was that I got really sick, and I think it was due to parasites and/or bacteria. But, everyone else who was on my trip avoided this problem by taking anti-parasite, anti-malaria, and other recommended medications prior to the trip. If I had the money, I would go on a trip every break I had! Everyone should go on a trip like this! You'll be addicted once you start :)

It was a really amazing experience. We worked hard every day but were allowed a lot of hands on experience and I especially enjoyed the case discussions at the end of the day.

The mere fact that I'm doing an online review of this program speaks for itself that I believe in it and love it so much. I come from a background of no clinical experience, but from the first day of clinic, I was able to ask the doctors and vet techs how to do things, and they would walk me through the entire process, explaining patiently and clearly, so once I heard it once, it stuck. The sheer amount that they let you do is also unbelievable. As long as they think you're confident enough in your skills, they will let you do just about anything, but no worries, they're always watching, so there is no risk to the patient. The homestays were an amazing experience as well, and my Spanish improved so much! And the white water rafting as a recreation day? Let's just say that I found my new favorite hobby. This program is something I absolutely love, and I can't wait to volunteer for them next year.

This experience was AMAZING! I am so glad that I chose to take part in this experience. Not only do you get to experience a new culture, you also get one-on-one experience with people who live within these cultures which makes the experience even more rich! It was truly eye opening, and I will cherish the memories forever!

This experience was an experience that I will never forget. It is truly a life changing experience, and really teaches you to appreciate the little things in life. Seeing the look on the patient's faces when they get the help that they really need is truly heart warming, and for me made the experience so worth while. I would recommend VIDA to anyone!

I did the Costa Rica/Nicaragua trip a few years back, and I still feel it was one of the greatest experiences I have had. The staff were all amazing and devoted, and the hands on you get while just a student is tremendous. I would recommend this trip to anyone.

I am a pre-med student who went to Guatemala with the VIDA med team. We had six clinic days and several adventure days. Clinic days consisted of 8-hour clinics where we analyzed patients' concerns, history, symptoms, etc. and then worked directly with the doctors to diagnose and treat their conditions. On the adventure days we did things like tour the lake, cliff jump, zip line, and other things that I wouldn't have been able to do on my own. We always stayed in very nice hotels in somewhat touristic areas that were safe to explore. We always had to be with at least one other person, but we were frequently given free time to explore the area, go to bars and restaurants, dance clubs, etc. Overall it was an amazing experience. Very safe and definitely worth the money. All the fun of discvering a new culture in a beautiful country plus the experience of providing medical care and the joy of helping people in need.