Program Reviews

Although I wish my trip to Costa Rica could have been more hands on, there were many invaluable experiences I gained from this trip. The staff at the clinic was amazing- they are dedicated and passionate. Their passion was so inspiring to me and really opened my eyes to the work and help that is needed in underserved populations such as in Costa Rica. Although I was only able to do small works such as shadow the doctor, log in patients, and fill out prescriptions, I truly believe I made an impact. However, the people I met and the stories I heard during my trip made more of an impact on me. I vividly remember going to the soup kitchen to help which was my favorite part of the trip. I was able to speak to children (most of them who come regularly) and hear some of their stories. One small boy around the age of 12 told me he was not from Costa Rica and that he very much missed his real home as he showed me a picture of his hometown on his cellphone. I was also taken on a small drive to see the living conditions of the people of Costa Rica which was also very eye opening. I saw the shacks that they lived in and the dirt roads that they traveled on. Besides my experiences with the clinic, I was able to spend a lot of time with the team I came with from the University of Illinois. We were able to hike up a mountain, go zip lining, have a nice dinner on top of a mountain, as well as visit the beach. Not to mention, I had a very generous and giving host family to stay with. They took us to a local onion festival the night I arrived in Costa Rica and I was able to experience local festivities.

My trip to Huancayo was a very eye opening and humbling experience. Day to day we went to the hospitals and schools and did different projects around the community that included cleaning many of the people's teeth with fluoride throughout the community. We got to observe the operations in the emergency rooms, tend to women going into labor, see births and caesarian sections, and stand in on major surgeries. The people of Huancayo were very welcoming and saw the best in what they had. I would highly recommend this trip to anyone and everyone because we can all use a different perspective sometimes.

It was my first mission trip: I really loved Nicaragua and the program, but I think they should have informed us about the alternative plan. We were not informed that our visit to local schools before the trip, and they informed us that the school is on vacation once we arrived, so we had alternative schedule. We gave diabetes presentations, met local communities, visited hospitals, interacted with kids in the hot spring, went to Granada, and went to zip lining. The sanctuary is very safe and all the staff are nice. We had lot of free time in the afternoon to visit the beach right next to the sanctuary, which is beautiful! After one year, I miss the food and the people.

I had an amazing time in Costa Rica. On a daily basis we would go to the clinic and either 1. Shadow the doctor 2. Take vitals (height, weight, temperature, blood pressure) 3. Fill prescriptions or 4. Play in the waiting room with the kids or talk to the families. Every position was very fulfilling and helped me practice my Spanish as well as receive medical clinic exposure. We also gave two health education presentations to local women and children. These were amazing opportunities that are very fulfilling for anyone interested in health education.
Being in Costa Rica was an amazing experience to gain appreciation for the medical care we have in the US. I returned from Costa Rica with a desire to help people take care of themselves better.
While we were in Costa Rica, we also were able to go on a trip to a waterfall and volcanoe. The land is absolutely beautiful and the weather was amazing. There is a fun nightlife as well! I really recommend going on this trip!

My medical trip lasted two weeks in August 2013. I was there alongside three other pre-medical students at my university.

The highlights of my trip included giving "charlas" (small chats with mothers/elementary school students) at the clinic and at different elementary schools, shadowing the local pediatrician twice a week, and experiencing how everyday life was like in rural Nicaragua. I was very surprised at the efficiency of the clinic, which is run by Jessica Southern, a registered nurse. It was very systematic, and usually, the student volunteers were given a task. I especially enjoyed shadowing the pediatrician and getting the "inside look"in the Nicaraguan lifestyle. The pediatrican was very complementary and translated the diagnosis and treatment plan to us, and it was cool to see a good range of cases. In addition, we were able to eat at many different homes and see the condition of their living situation. It was good, because we definitely were able to see the problems that were facing the specific Nicaraguan community: diabetes (due to their high sugar intake), improper hygiene (due to the lack of clean water/accessibility to clean toilets and sinks), and the presence of insects/mosquitoes (which cause dengue fever).

There were also many challenges that were unexpected. The first week of my trip was very good, as it was just the four of us. We were given more responsibilities that allowed us to see how we could impact the community. However, the second week, five other people came in - which diminished our responsibilities. It soon became monotonous and routine -- nothing was new. Our activities were reduced to playing with the children and we had less of an opportunity to shadow the pediatrician (which was the main highlight of the trip).

Project Limon was a wonderful experience.During my visit, I enjoyed visiting the community, listening to their health concerns, and sharing my knowledge in the medical field with all the staff and other volunteers. I feel 1 week is not enough! There's a lot to learn, discover and enjoy in this amazing country especially in this community surrounded by beautiful and welcoming individuals. I cannot express in words how lucky I was to work with Jessica and Martha. I hope I can come back one day and bring more help to a community.

In the summer 2013, I participated in a global health volunteer program with FIMRC in Huancayo, Peru. Huancayo is a small city located in the midst of the Peruvian Andes, where I spent time to work in the orphanage, children shelter, public elementary schools, and clinics.

Probably one of my most highlight experience was the dental campaign. My team and I cooperated with the Pevurian dentists to provide fluoride treatments and distribute toothbrushes to nearly 800 children in the community.

I couldn't believe that I have done all these things for the Peruvian children. Of course thank you FIMRC for providing me this unique opportunity. I left with many beautiful memories and I felt thankful for knowing the beautiful people from that enriched, native land. I will be back for sure.

Volunteering in Restauración, Dominican Republic was a life-changing experience. I was able to shadow a doctor at the local hospital and teach the young girls in the community and surrounding communities about Woman Empowerment. After this amazing experience, I have truly come to recognize how fortunate I am and how much of an impact I can have on others.

FIMRC is an absolutely amazing organization. All of their funds and fees go to their project sites and you can really see the impact they are making. On my trip, I got to make rounds with doctors and medical students in a few hospitals, including a women's and children's health clinic. We learned about the Peruvian healthcare system through the eyes of the health workers there. I got to observe surgeries, read charts and talk to patients, nurses, doctors and other students to get their perspective. As the name suggests, children are the focus of this organization. During my trip, we visited an after-school program for street kids to teach them about nutrition and sanitation and also to play with them and talk with them.
This was my second trip with FIMRC; my first was to a different site in Peru as well. During that trip we visited the shantytowns around Trujillo to work with mothers and kids. We also taught a nutrition class to recovering TB patients in a hospital in the city.
Both trips were absolutely amazing and completely unique. I have not been able to find another organization that does what this one has achieved and continues to do!

This was an eye-opening experience. You learn not to take things for granted and realize the real value of things. After this experience, I definitely felt empowered and I realize that small actions can have a huge and meaningful impact on others.