Vida Medical, Dental & Veterinary Programs in Guatemala

My trip to Guatemala was a life changing experience. I had an opportunity to directly speak with and help treat various patients in different underprivileged communities. The staff, my group, and everyone we met along he way were so nice, helpful, and caring. I wouldn't trade this experience for the world. I learned about many tropical diseases as well as how to talk to a patient and make them feel comfortable. It really help put thigs into perspective for me. I love helping people and really enjoyed the opportunity to help these people but realistically I learned as much about myself through these people as I was able to help them.

I volunteered on a medical trip, and it was an invaluable experience. The patients were wonderful and so friendly. The doctors were super nice and eager to explain diagnoses and diseases. I learned a lot and I really felt like I was making a valuable contribution. All of the VIDA staff were very helpful and fun to work with. The activities were well planned, as well. They are placed in between clinics for a mini break. Our activities were a tour of Antigua, which was so interesting, and ziplining, which was just incredible. My only suggestion: bring jeans and a sweatshirt, because some areas of Guatemala are chilly!

I went on the medical trip to Guatemala and it truly changed my whole outlook on life. I realized more than ever that I want to be a doctor. I ended up writing a final paper for one of my classes about Vida and how I would expand the organization. The best part of the trip for me was getting to interact with the patients. I am planning on going on another trip next spring. I would strongly recommend Vida!

This was my first time visiting Guatemala, but not Central America. I felt like my time with the VIDA group allowed me to not only get the veterinary experiences I was going for, but also to get a great immersion into the local culture. They took many precautions to inform us on how to be safe and which foods not to eat, so my experiences in the cities and with the people were all really insightful and enjoyable.
The veterinary work was amazing! Getting to experience a clinic like that performing hands-on surgeries was only trumped by the huge impact I could tell we had on the people in the communities we visited.
Over all, AMAZING experience!

This was my second trip to Central America with VIDA and I am proud to say it was better than my first. The overall organization was great and I enjoyed the atmosphere the veterinarians and leaders provided. The leaders and veterinary assistants were always available to help during clinics. One thing I enjoyed was that during the last clinic, we were told to research more in depth one thing we found during clinic and talk about it with the group. I enjoyed this because for the rest of my life, I will always remember my cases of ascites and the causes and treatments.