Foundation for International Medical Relief of Children

Program Reviews

Amanda
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Most amazing experience!

Volunteering with FIMRC in Bududa, Uganda was the most incredible experience. The organization is selflessly committed to serving those without adequate healthcare and resources, and does so while simultaneously empowering the people of the communities they serve. In Bududa I had the privilege of getting personal hands-on experience in a clinical setting and loving some incredibly sweet children, with the added bonus of fun excursions thrown in.

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Sydney
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Best 2 Weeks Ever

I never in a million years thought id be so impacted by an experience as I was this one. Bududa was truly an incredible place and the staff at FIMRC always went out of there way to make sure i was comfortable, always being hands on, and having fun. I wanted to get the most out of this trip and they made it so easy to do so! Thank you for the trip of a lifetime! I can’t wait for the day I get to go back.

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Mercedes
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Lifetime Opportunity

I volunteered for one week and I am so happy that I did! The staff at Project Alajuelita are amazing and treat the patients in the community like family, including myself. The relationships that they build with the community make them feel welcomed and the staff continues to provide health education for everyone. I traveled alone which was a challenge because I knew very little Spanish but everyone was very helpful in teaching me. Volunteering along gave me to opportunity to help in every way possible. I was able to register patients, take their vitals, see them with the doctor, and then fill their prescriptions in the pharmacy. I know it would have fun to have other volunteers with me as well but I feel like I was able to experience all aspects of the clinic and more!​ I know that the time I spent with FIMRC will greatly impact my ability to become the best physician that I can be.

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Andrew
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Experience of a Lifetime!

If you are considering an opportunity to explore healthcare in Asia, this might be for you. I had an opportunity to travel to the Province of Cavite, a couple of hours south of Manila working in rural health clinics. Persons with an interest in healthcare careers may enjoy this opportunity especially. Each day was different and chocked full with hands on learning and immersion into the Filipino culture. I established friends for a lifetime and cherished the beauty of the land and Filipino people.

close hand observations

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Hannah
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

FIMRC Anconcito Experience

Visiting and volunteering in Ecuador was one of the most exciting and invigorating experiences of my life. I achieved clinical experience, a whole new perspective, and got to travel to places I never dreamed of. I am now pursuing a public health major, because I got to experience health education in the amazing Anconcito community firsthand, through assisting with flu shots and teaching kids how to improve their lifestyle through a community health fair. It was so much fun and definitely eye opening. The staff was phenomenal and I would go back in a heartbeat! A tip from me would be to brush up on learning Spanish; knowing at least conversational Spanish makes the experience at lot easier and increases your incorporation into the community! I would also recommend setting a few days aside to visit the tourist parts of the country. I went snorkeling, canyoning, visit many beaches, and even go on the swing at the end of the world! Ecuador is amazing and the FIMRC program there is just as great. I 100% recommend it!

What would you improve about this program?
Recommend bringing quite a few smaller bills to Ecuador in the predeparture packet! Breaking bigger bills was difficult at times since everything is so cheap.
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Megan
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

FIMRC Costa Rica

My experience with FIMRC was incredible because I had the opportunity to live with a host family, practice Spanish, and gain valuable clinical experience while contributing to the local community of Alajuelita. During my time in Costa Rica, I was able to travel around the entire country, meet locals, and become totally immersed in clinic work. Mobile clinics allowed us to see exactly what life was like in Alajuelita, and excursions allowed us to be tourists for a little while. I would go back!

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Matthew
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

An excellent experience

During my two months in Uganda I spent a lot of time with FIMRC's Orphans and Vulnerable Children Program. The other volunteers and I would hike to different families in the village with the outreach coordinator, and we would visit with and interview the families about their involvement with the program. It was an amazing way to interact with the community and explore the village. As the clinic sits at the bottom of a valley, mountains slope up on either side, providing a beautiful but short view. Many families live further up these mountains and as you hike from home to home, you cannot help but see the breathtaking views that Bududa has to offer. I can honestly say that Uganda is the greenest, and as a result, one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen.

What would you improve about this program?
I would recommend having slightly more involved volunteer training.
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Jesus
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Huancayo

FIMRC organized an incredible experience for anyone to take advantage of. I visited the Huancayo, Peru project site for the Summer 2016 trip. As a Peruvian/American dual citizen, I received priceless cultural and professional experience. This trip consists of the perfect combination of pleasurable and serious activities that really make the month spent abroad fly by. You really bond with your fellow colleagues and the community making it feel like a second home. The medical experiences that you receive are things you'll only experience beyond medical school in America and they indicate whether or not you want to go into the field if you're contemplating it. Overall, Huacayo, Peru was amazing and is only something you can experience for yourself instead of reading about it.

What would you improve about this program?
Hold off on the pachamanca.
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Priya
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

A Summer in Chanchamayo

Entering a new culture means entering a new world. And in that new world, the idea of service must be redefined. Love of language, appreciation of tradition, willingness to adapt, and eagerness to learn all play a crucial role. Without an understanding of local people and integration with newfound culture, progress in professional areas is limited. This summer, FIMRC helped me learn all of this, and more.

I spent June-July 2016 with the Foundation for International Medical Relief of Children (FIMRC), in La Merced, Peru (locally referred to as Chanchamayo). FIMRC’s mission is to “improve the health of families in the developing world through the implementation of innovative and self-sustainable health improvement programs” (FIMRC). In La Merced I partnered with hospitals and native communities, working on clinical rotations, health campaigns, educational presentations, and a few independent projects. However, above anything else, the FIMRC experience and local staff taught me this summer was about cultivating strong, trusting ties with native Ashaninkas and Chanchamayans, sharing beautiful life moments together, and showing them we have just as much to learn from them as they do from us.

What would you improve about this program?
A think requiring some sort of language proficiency based on the site being visited would be useful to help volunteers have a more productive and impactful experience with the local culture and environment.
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Pat
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Excellence

FIMRC is an amazing organization to work with. The work I did was based out of their site in Huancayo, Peru so my experience specially speaks to the success of that particular location. The staff was extremely friendly and supportive. They were always there for all of the volunteers and by the end of our trip they became our good friends. FIMRC is an excellent organization for premedical students because of the clinical exposure participants gain. Whether it be through community outreach programs, observing shadows in the OR, checking a patients glucose level, or even planning a wedding, FIMRC is undoubtedly an organization that anyone who works with will agree with me saying that it was completely worth it.