VCOM - Auburn 2018 Yearbook

Chirag Patel

Trip Participant | Class of 2020

“ The Dominican Republic medical outreach trip was an incredible learning experience for me. Before going to the Dominican I knew that we were going to the rural areas that are medically underserved. However, when I saw patients desperately waiting in line for hours to receive medical care, which they did not have access to, it made me realize how fortunate we are. I could appreciate the privileges, the high quality medical care and the opportunities we have in our country. This was the time when I examined

my first patient. I had an opportunity to perform hands-on procedures like stitches and IVs. With the knowledge I was equipped with thus far, I was now able to apply it to a real-life situation. Even though I was not able to communicate directly with my patients because of the language barrier, small gestures like thumbs up were rewarding. Besides gaining valuable clinical experiences, I enjoyed my trip to the DR with the best group of people who made this trip more fun. ”

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DOMINICAN REPUBLIC