VCOM - Carolinas 2016 Yearbook

El Salvador

VCOM–Carolinas students and faculty on the medical outreach trip to El Salvador in 2015.

V COM’s health initiative in El Salvador began with a mobile unit visiting remote villages and children’s homes, and evolved into a partnership with the El Salvador Ministry of Health, the Evangelical University Medical School, and AMILAT foundation, establishing the Shalom Medical Center. This state-of-the-art clinic is equipped with a pediatric suite, primary care and prenatal services, a laboratory, and a pharmacy. The College also developed a partnership with the Decameron Resort to provide primary medical care for low-resource students of the Sonsonate Primary School and their families. VCOM faculty and students teach First Responder Training workshop for resort employees.

Outreach Trips 2015-2016 In October, 26 medical students, four faculty physicians and volunteers from VCOM–Carolinas traveled to El Salvador to provide medical outreach for a week, and were hosted by AMILAT during their stay. Throughout the week, the team provided medical care for over 350 patients by setting up temporary clinics at two children’s homes, a public school, an in several underserved and remote villages. A clinic was also hosted at the grand opening celebration for the newly constructed Shalom Family Medical Center.

medical students organized First Responder training for resort employees. VCOM–Carolinas students traveled to El Salvador for a second medical outreach trip in December, and were joined by medical students and faculty from VCOM–Virginia. During the week-long trip, nearly 300 patients in community clinics, orphanages and schools received medical attention. The team gave parties for children, and adults experiencing vision problems were fitted with reading glasses. All of the reading glasses and children’s items shared with those in need on this trip were donated by members of the VCOM campus communities.

During this trip, faculty physician Lynn Campbell, DO, and

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