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As part of the Noon Elective Seminar, Dr. Doreen Pon gave an excellent presentation on "Pharmacists on Medical Missions". A couple of reflections from student pharmacists in the class are posted below:
Reflection #1: Jane Kim, PharmD Candidate 2020
Dr. Pon talked about the prevalence of health issues in other parts of the world, ways to prepare for medical mission trips, and what happens on these trips. Child and adult mortality rates are much higher in other parts of the world compared to the US. It is due to the lack of health care resources and infrastructure making it an overall public health issue. This is a reason why medical missions exist. To help people in need. Medical mission trips require pre-trip preparations such as formulary planning, medication procurement, dispensing procedures, and paperwork. One non-profit organization involved in medical mission trips primarily to Guatemala is called Help’s International. On these trips pharmacists dispense, counsel, and participate in special projects. I found this seminar to be very interesting and useful for me if in the future I want to go on medical mission trips. I feel that this is a great way to use my skills to help people who are in need, not just in my community but around the world. It will help me to leave my comfort zone and experience the world and meet new people.
Reflection #2 Hyun Ji Chin, PharmD Candidate 2020
Today’s seminar evolved to be a surprising session for a student pharmacist who was never exposed to any concept related to medical and pharmaceutical missions. Somehow, I always had thought that the medical mission only involved collaboration of physicians, dentists and nurses in absence of pharmacists. But it is quite obvious that the pharmacist must be present to ensure the safety of provision of pharmaceutical care. The seminar was inspiring and informative that another goal was added on to my future personal career goal lists: medical mission off to the third-world country. I believe that committing to medical mission, at least once in my life time will bring a lot of changes in my life. I can actually play a significant role in saving others’ lives and provide more quality lives as well. Nonetheless, I really need to work hard on developing myself to become more adaptive and flexible to a sudden environmental changes. Because I am a person who gets really stressed when things turn out in a way that I did not expect to be, I will not be able to adequately handle the uncertainty and unfamiliarities that are associated with medical mission. Thus throughout the pharmacy school year, I would practice in learning how to manage and handle those uncertainties through confronting with more unexpected events.
Reflection #1: Jane Kim, PharmD Candidate 2020
Dr. Pon talked about the prevalence of health issues in other parts of the world, ways to prepare for medical mission trips, and what happens on these trips. Child and adult mortality rates are much higher in other parts of the world compared to the US. It is due to the lack of health care resources and infrastructure making it an overall public health issue. This is a reason why medical missions exist. To help people in need. Medical mission trips require pre-trip preparations such as formulary planning, medication procurement, dispensing procedures, and paperwork. One non-profit organization involved in medical mission trips primarily to Guatemala is called Help’s International. On these trips pharmacists dispense, counsel, and participate in special projects. I found this seminar to be very interesting and useful for me if in the future I want to go on medical mission trips. I feel that this is a great way to use my skills to help people who are in need, not just in my community but around the world. It will help me to leave my comfort zone and experience the world and meet new people.
Reflection #2 Hyun Ji Chin, PharmD Candidate 2020
Today’s seminar evolved to be a surprising session for a student pharmacist who was never exposed to any concept related to medical and pharmaceutical missions. Somehow, I always had thought that the medical mission only involved collaboration of physicians, dentists and nurses in absence of pharmacists. But it is quite obvious that the pharmacist must be present to ensure the safety of provision of pharmaceutical care. The seminar was inspiring and informative that another goal was added on to my future personal career goal lists: medical mission off to the third-world country. I believe that committing to medical mission, at least once in my life time will bring a lot of changes in my life. I can actually play a significant role in saving others’ lives and provide more quality lives as well. Nonetheless, I really need to work hard on developing myself to become more adaptive and flexible to a sudden environmental changes. Because I am a person who gets really stressed when things turn out in a way that I did not expect to be, I will not be able to adequately handle the uncertainty and unfamiliarities that are associated with medical mission. Thus throughout the pharmacy school year, I would practice in learning how to manage and handle those uncertainties through confronting with more unexpected events.
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