VCOM - Carolinas 2016 Yearbook

HCMO Hispanic Community Medical Outreach

Adriana Delgado, President; Ofelia Cabrera, Vice President; Nathalie Perdomo, Treasurer; Sandy Perez, Secretary; George Alvarez, Chair

T he Hispanic Community Medical Outreach (HCMO) organization at VCOM–Carolinas is dedicated to promoting health in Spartanburg’s Hispanic community through education and increasing access to care. HCMO works with St. Matthew’s Free Clinic and ReGenesis Healthcare to translate for non- English speaking patients and assist physicians in performing physical exams. In addition to community outreach activities, HCMO is dedicated to improving cultural awareness and Spanish language skills of VCOM students. This

year, the organization began hosting Spanish classes to develop the medical related Spanish vocabulary for interested students. These classes focused on human anatomy and phrases that would be helpful when interviewing patients. Students taking the classes found them helpful in preparation for medical outreach trips to Spanish speaking countries. Throughout the year, HCMO partnered with several organizations in fundraising efforts. Alongside the International Outreach team and ACOP, members collected

personal items to share with patients on mission trips. HCMO raised money for March of Dimes with ACOP, hosting Chipotle to provide meals for purchase for students and staff on campus. The organization also had a booth at the annual VCOM Kids Wellness Fair in the fall and the Adult Health Fair in the spring. In the coming years, HCMO plans to continue promoting health in the community, especially for the Hispanic community of Spartanburg and beyond.

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