Program Reviews

I got more out of 1 month than I ever anticipated. I got confirmation that nursing and global health are indeed what I need and want to do in life. I received reinforcement that although all human beings have an innate right to health, this is not the case, and that must be changed. I made lifelong friends from all over the US and Uganda that I would have otherwise never met. I rafted the Nile, got my chocolate bar stolen by a baboon on a safari, stargazed on a nightly basis, hiked to waterfalls, began a new language, and ate chapatti, so so much chapatti. Most importantly, I learned a new sense of appreciation, respect, compassion, knowledge and wisdom that can only be learned from another culture. I wish I could've spent another month in Bududa, but I'm thankful for all Uganda and FIMRC gave to me in the time I had with them.

My experience at FIMRC SIHF in Uganda was absolutely amazing. Not only did I get hands on experience with patients and lab procedures, but I got to become part of a huge family. The FIMRC Uganda staff are by far the sweetest people. They are very welcoming and are always happy to help the community. They are also amazing at helping fellows/volunteers communicate with patients- you will definitely learn some Lugisu during your time here! The clinic is located about 2 miles away from the house and is surrounded by mountains and breathtaking views. Fellows not only help in the clinic but can also help out with the OVC (orphans and vulnerable children program), PTC (post test club) and patient outreach. If you chose to you can also take weekend trips into the city for shopping, hiking, Safari and more. All in all FIMRC SHIF Uganda has it all!

When I think of Philipines, the first three words that pop up in my head are bucket baths (tabo), fresh air, and home. The SHIF fellowship allowed me to gain hands-on experience as I shadowed doctors and provided service clinics in Manila. This program removed all doubts I had to invest my life in the medical career. After this trip, I realized I was interested in international health care. The familial aspect of the Philippines made it very comforting to transition into the environment. If I ever have the chance I will do it all over again!

This past June I am happy to say that I served with FIMRC (Foundation for International Medical Relief of Children) in the (likely) unheard-of city of La Merced in Peru. There, as an itinerant health fellow with 12 other volunteers, we went to various native communities as well as city centers to conduct health campaigns and give medical lessons.
We all lived together for the month in Rosa, Luis and Abuelita's house and were able to enjoy some spectacular food. Plus, the avocados from their backyard were the size of cantaloupes.
The city is situated on the eastern base of the Andes, fringing the jungle. Being in this ecologically transitional region made for some wonderful weather and beautiful sunsets. Each day we were able to immerse ourselves in the local medical community and regularly visit schools for our lessons. This was arguably my favorite part of this trip; giving humorous lessons at one of the schools and helping the understaffed special needs school by playing with the children. Overall, it was truly rewarding because no matter our background or level of experience-- we all provided integral parts in brightening the community's collective day.​

I went to Nicaragua for two months in the summer of 2016. Both of my parents were born in Central America so I was very aware of the day to day lifestyle, which I thought would come in handy since I was going to have a host family. My host family consisted of only a sweet and caring lady, who's only daughter had grown up, married and left to live her life. I was a little disappointed to find out that I wasn't going to have any host siblings. but by the end of the trip I was very grateful that I had the opportunity to bond so much with my host mom and that I actually got to experience and live the life I have heard so much about while growing up.
Working at the clinic itself was also a positive experience that both the staff and the big group of female peers contributed to. I was part of a group of about 16 females from different parts of the U.S. whom I was able to bond with on several occasions. Jessica and Zane are awesome and did an amazing job at making sure that we all had the chance to observe, go on visits and do different tasks they had. because there were many of us we didn't always have a lot of time to do the jobs that we liked to but Jessica and Zane were flexible and did the best they could. since it was the summer and we were there for a longer period of time we were able to start our own projects to help the community. I chose to work at Los Pipitos for both months and be able to help children who needed special attention with physical therapy and others with their numbers, letter, etc. I absolutely loved it! being able to go to Los Pipitos to see and help out the children was my favorite thing from the clinic. I also like observing the pediatrician and seeing how not only did she travel from another city to help, but she taught and explained to the parents why their child was sick and how to help it was different than how the doctors in the U.S. do it.
As for Nicaragua itself....it's beautiful. I enjoyed going out and visiting different parts of Nicaragua with friends during the weekends and biking it to the local beach almost everyday after work with friends. the beaches are really pretty, the sunsets are full of color but the best part is after the sunsets, and its dark, you look up to see the sky full of bright stars, something that the city lights block out at home. I would definitely do it again.

I went to the Philippines for the summer health fellowship and it was the most eye opening experience I've ever had. Not only did I have cultural immersion and got to experience the food, language, and lived the way they did, but the medical portion was more that what I could have gotten in the United States. They taught me how to take blood pressure and identify minor problems in patients. I got to work in the TB clinic with hundreds of patients and help with screening. At one point they let me inspect the septum samples for the bacillus causing TB. The people were amazing and were so welcoming to me giving them screenings for heart disease. If i have enough time I'll definitely do it again. Best experience Ever.

Project Cavite was my first abroad medical trip, and I loved it. I really hold it near and dear to me, and already am trying to figure out when I can travel back there. I am interested in medicine, so I figured this trip would help me gain a better appreciation for healthcare and how it functions outside the US. I honestly expected to do a lot of medical things in the clinic, and that's exactly what the Fields Operations Manager granted me with the opportunity to do. She spoke with me once I arrived, and asked what I was interested in and from there she geared the trip around that. So if you're more into Public health, and project management they are able to expose you to that. They made it very clear that it was my experience and wanted it to be as enriching as possible. I wish I would've stayed longer than 2 weeks because time flies. It was life changing and only reinforced my want to enter the healthcare field.

I think the greatest part for me, as a medical student, was being given the chance to discuss the major differences between how medicine is practiced in the West, and in larger Indian cities, with all the toys and gadgets and funding necessary to run a top of the line hospital with the doctors who were making due with limited resources, and too many patients. It puts into perspective how wasteful one can be and how carefully one has to manage medical resources.
As a volunteer and tourist I found the town to be lively, interesting, and a great visit. The entire trip was relaxing and very enjoyable and the interactions with the other volunteers is great. The evening walks were also refreshing just before a home cooked meal. The creche visits were also fantastic. The children were great and happy to see us and play.

I got involved with FIMRC when I was a freshman in college and it really shaped, not only my time in college, but my future. Throughout my first two years in school, I was on the fence about joining the Peace Corps. It was something that I had wanted to do, but i was unsure of how I would handle the potentially unstructured lifestyle in a foreign country. It was my trips to the DR with FIMRC that really convinced me that Peace Corps was something that I would enjoy doing.

I had been on two previous trips with FIMRC, but DR was unique in the fact that you really get to connect with the locals due to the fact that the site is in a small town, not a large city. The work was structured so that volunteers had an opportunity to do a variety of work. Some days, I would work in the clinic. Other days, I found myself hiking around surrounding villages doing health surveys or checking on projects that had been set up by the FOM. The second year I was there, my group had the chance to do a health fair in a rural school that went incredibly!

Outside of the work, the DR is also a beautiful country with all sorts of excursions. One year I was there, my group went to a series of waterfalls. We started at the top and jumped, swam, and slid our way to the bottom. It was loads of fun. Aside from that, there are incredible beaches and an exciting night life if you want to take a day or two before or after the volunteer work.

Now, as I sit here writing this review as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Belize, I think of all that FIMRC did to help my service. While in the DR, the FOM was working on a latrine project that my group helped with. I took my knowledge from my FIMRC experience and have used it to start a latrine project of my own in the village. I also had a health fair in which I drew from my experience in the DR. Having gone on the two trips with FIMRC has allowed me to have the success that I am having today as a Peace Corps Volunteer.

The Foundation for the International Medical Relief of Children (FIMRC) is an INCREDIBLE organization that offers once in a lifetime experiences for those who take advantage. These trips are geared for those that are interested in public health, children, communities, and adventures. My trip to Nicaragua was a wonderful experience that I will never forget. I went with a group from Clemson (my alma mater) for a 1 week medical mission trip. The accommodations were very nice- we stayed at the Surf Sanctuary which is owned by an American family that decided to move to Nicaragua. There is a pool, an awesome cook from South Africa (I think he is still there), and it is super close to the beach. As far as location goes- this is an awesome place to be if you want a volunteer trip with some relaxation included.

For the volunteering part- we mainly worked in the FIMRC clinic and in the adjacent government clinic helping with vitals, organizing the pharmacy, painting the clinic, and interacting with children and their families. We also went on home visits with a community health worker that focused on pre-natal care and with another health worker that focused on diabetes. In addition, on the last day we worked in a physical therapy clinic with children that suffered from physical ailments. It was a very rewarding experience and I felt like we truly were making a difference. One of the best things about FIMRC is that the work they do is sustainable- they don't just send foreigners in to change things, they create jobs and opportunities for the communities to get involved which makes their work more meaningful.

I highly recommend this experience!!