Become a Global Health Volunteer in El Salvador! - CLOSED

I spent a week in El Salvador with FIMRC and not only experienced the medical need there, but discovered a whole, exciting, and fascinating cultural world. FIMRC facilitated complete immersion into this!

Our days were spent working in the medical clinic at making house calls around the community of Las Delicias. After a long days work, we had several trips available to us (Geological sites, recreational sites, food, dancing, etc). I think this is so critical to any mission work. It's not only about the medical aid, but the experience of walking in another persons shoes and learning how they live. It greatly opened my eyes to so many social issues and is something every person should experience no matter who you are or what you do.

I had the amazing opportunity to volunteer with FIMRC with fellow University of St. Thomas (Houston) students all interested in the health field. From pick-up by Meredith, Alex, and Italo at the airport to our final day, we all enjoyed every moment whether we were playing soccer (and losing miserably) with the kids in Las Delicias, enjoying the food festival in the rainy mountains, sweating it out at the community garden, administering vaccinations, giving community presentations in Spanish, swimming in waterfalls, or learning to salsa in the clinic after hours. Nurse Morena and Dr. Eduardo taught us so much and were absolute sweethearts. THANK YOU to the FIMRC team at Las Delicias for hosting us and giving us the experience of a lifetime. Well-organized with plenty of time to enjoy the sights and sounds of El Salvador- I couldn't have asked for a better experience! I'm currently looking to volunteer with FIMRC again for my Master of Public Health practicum, and many of my fellow FIMRC alumni have gone on to successfully enter medical, pharmacy, dental, optometry, health administration, physical therapy, and public health schools/programs!

During out week in El Salvador, we shadowed a pediatrician in the clinic as well as another physician who travels around the community to do well checkups, prenatal visits, and vaccinations. We got to do home visits to families who are taking initiative to live healthier lifestyles to see if they've implemented the health precautions they had been learning in class (having enough water, having an open kitchen, seeing where they put their trash and how they got rid of it, where they kept their toothbrushes, etc.) One day, we went to the local elementary school and helped gather information about the children's heights and weights and helped with ear and eye exams. Another day, we visited another elementary school and taught them about the importance of vitamins, and we got to give each student a month's supply. In addition to these bigger programs, we also spent an afternoon with teenagers who are trying to learn English, and we went on many adventures to a volcano, a lake, and Puerta del Diablo (google it, it's gorgeous).

Traveling with FIMRC is always an unforgettable experience, and El Salvador is a beautiful country with lots of opportunities to make an impact in the lives of the wonderful people who live there.