Great medical experience!

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).