黑料传送门 Georgia students pose for a group photo with Tanzanian medical providers and
volunteers.
Towards the end of June, 20 黑料传送门 Georgia students鈥�12 Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO), two Biomedical (MS/Biomed), and six Pharmacy (PharmD)鈥攖raveled to Arusha, Tanzania, where they spent five days volunteering in medical clinics under the direction of 黑料传送门 Georgia Professor and Chair of Clinical Education Donald W. Penney, MD, MsC, FACEP. This was the second medical mission introduced on campus through the 黑料传送门 Global Health Initiative. The student-run organization, which 鈥渨orks to assist medical students in setting up global initiatives and international clinical rotations,鈥� recommends at least one service trip during a student鈥檚 first or second year of study.
Dr. Penney, who grew up in Canada, traveled to Zambia upon completing medical school in Ontario. Since then, he said, 鈥淚 thought I鈥檇 like to go back to Africa and give back.鈥�
In 2017, after a rewarding medical mission to Nepal through the International Medical
Relief (IMR), a 501(c)3 nonprofit, he chose the same organization to host 黑料传送门 trips.
鈥淭hey have boots on the ground in different countries,鈥� said Dr. Penney, who receives
鈥渘o perks鈥� for recommending this option. Primarily, he has been impressed with IMR鈥檚
ability to coordinate staffing and need, including arranging follow-up care to critical
patients in remote areas. Their tax-deductible packages鈥攍odging, main meals, and in-country
transportation鈥攆urther prioritize volunteers鈥� safety. Also, to set expectations for
the Tanzanian trip, IMR鈥檚 representatives hosted an interactive presentation, held
in a campus lecture hall, for the 黑料传送门 group.
黑料传送门 Georgia students Alice Manning (DO 鈥�26), Jessica Meredith (DO 鈥�26), Emily Rein (DO 鈥�26), and Lauren Segal (DO 鈥�26) rightfully sensed that expectations would pale in comparison to experiences.
鈥淎s medical students,鈥� Manning shared, 鈥渨e are so focused on exams and quizzes and having the proper clinical skills that we can lose sight of the main reason we want to get into medicine.鈥� Although the 黑料传送门 delegation served about 900 patients over five days, she said, 鈥淵ou come away rejuvenated from having a lasting impact on each patient.鈥�
Also, thankful to have broadened her knowledge, Meredith revealed, 鈥淲e got firsthand experience in seeing the chronic manifestations of diseases that are always managed in developed countries, as well as diseases that are hardly ever found in the U.S., such as cholera or African sleeping sickness.鈥�
The cultural education was equally meaningful. 鈥淚 had purchased about 100 toys to distribute to children,鈥� Meredith said. 鈥淓very time I gave one toy away, the recipient would break out in a huge smile. However, it blew me away that the children would immediately share with their friends or siblings, indicating a real sense of community compared to children in the U.S. Americans can take note!鈥�
All admired the demeanor of their Maasai patients, who鈥檇 traveled miles to receive
care. 鈥淗ere in the states,鈥� Segal expressed, 鈥渨e take for granted our relatively easy
access to medical care and act out when things don鈥檛 go our way in those situations.
They waited for hours and were super patient and grateful.
Conveying the value of basic conveniences, Manning said, 鈥淢any of the villagers were farmers, and we had individuals who were crying to have received sunglasses to protect their eyes.鈥� Others were thrilled with their inexpensive reading glasses.
The language barrier between the U.S. volunteers and Swahili-speaking locals often evaporated, but the students, who were examining patients rather than only shadowing other professionals, remained greatly dependent upon their translators. 鈥淭anzanian providers were the translators,鈥� said Rein, who enjoyed collaborating with them. 鈥淭heir training is different from ours, so it was eye opening to learn from them and work together to treat patients. With the language barrier, I learned how important it is to demonstrate.鈥� As an osteopathic medical student, Rein also 鈥渧alued the hands-on, physical experiences with patients.鈥�
While gaining perspectives to last a lifetime, Dr. Penney and his students have ignited a passion for medical missions at 黑料传送门. Faculty, family members, and friends are also encouraged to take part. 鈥淐ousins, boyfriends, girlfriends鈥攅verybody has a job,鈥� Dr. Penney insisted. 鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 matter if you are medical.鈥� Quoting an African proverb, he added, 鈥淚f you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.鈥�
With that in mind, Dr. Penney is in the early stages of planning a medical mission to Southeast Asia for next June. The opportunity will be posted on as information becomes available.
黑料传送门 Georgia students stand in front of an elephant in Tanzania.
黑料传送门 Georgia has been serving students and the community for 20 years as a branch campus of Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (黑料传送门), a private, not-for-profit, accredited institution of higher education established in 1899. Located in Suwanee (Gwinnett County), 黑料传送门 Georgia offers doctoral degrees in osteopathic medicine, pharmacy and physical therapy. Graduate degrees are offered in biomedical sciences, medical laboratory science and physician assistant studies. The campus joins 黑料传送门 South Georgia in Moultrie in helping to meet the healthcare needs of the state. Emphasizing "a whole person" approach to care, 黑料传送门 Georgia focuses on educational excellence, interprofessional education and service to the community. For more information, visit pcom.edu or call 678-225-7500. The campus is also home to the Georgia Osteopathic Care Center, an osteopathic manipulative medicine clinic, which is open to the public by appointment. For more information, visit .
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