VCOM - Carolinas 2016 Yearbook

Dominican Republic

VCOM–Carolinas students and faculty during the medical outreach trip to the Dominican Republic in 2015.

T he VCOM Verón Rural Clinic provides medical care for an impoverished community with a surrounding population of approximately 20,000. The clinic is an ongoing endeavor launched through a collaborative partnership among VCOM administration, the Punta Cana Foundation, and the Secretary of Public Health and Social Assistance in the Dominican Republic. One great milestone has been establishing a partnership with the Appalachian College of Pharmacy (ACOP). ACOP hired a full-time pharmacist for the Verón Rural Clinic and continues to educate pharmacy students on international rotations. As part of VCOM’s partnership with the Punta Cana Foundation,

faculty and students provide yearly First Responder training to Punta Cana Resort and Club employees, as well as Basic Disaster Life Support for community and airport emergency services. Outreach Trips 2015-2016 In July, 28 medical students, four faculty physicians, administration, staff and volunteers traveled to the Dominican Republic for a week of medical outreach. As part of the College’s sustainable community health program, the group visited five clinics in underserved communities throughout the week, providing care for over 700 patients and distributing water purification education cards to improve living conditions. During

the trip, students volunteered their time at the clinic and saw the new VCOM Pediatric Center under construction, funded by the Oscar de la Renta foundation to provide state-of-the-art care for pediatric patients. VCOM–Carolinas students and faculty also participated in a Disaster Preparedness Training seminar led by Darlene Myles, DO. Training was offered for employees of Punta Cana International Airport, the second largest and largest privately- held airport in the Caribbean. The VCOM group was able to provide valuable disaster training experience for airport employees, further extending access to medical training for residents of the Dominican Republic.

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