Las Terrenas
February 21-15, 2015
My recent experience on a Medical Mission trip to the Dominican Republic was rewarding and educational. I went on the trip to help those in need and gain more international medical experience. Our main focus was to provide as much medical attention as possible to those in need. We primarily worked in the main hospital of Las Terrenas. It was saddening to see the poor conditions of the hospital. Some rooms didn’t even have light bulbs and none of the rooms had supplies. We were able to provide care to roughly 100 patients over approximately 1.5 days, including a surgery. We provided injections, ankle and knee braces, nail avulsions, medications, and orthotics. It was unfortunate during our trip that an anesthesiologist was not available. There were several patients that needed a more involved surgical procedure. In the future, it will be nice to perform more surgeries to those people in need.
The local people were very kind and appreciative of the care we provided. I had taken a few years of Spanish, but communication with the locals still proved to be a bit of a challenge. I was happy to see on the second day that we had a English speaking high school volunteer present to help translate. In addition to providing care to the locals, we were also able to enjoy the beautiful weather, beaches, and delicious food of the Dominican Republic.
I absolutely loved my experience in the Dominican Republic and would like to do it again in the future. It was truly rewarding being able to help those in need and encourages me not to take anything for granted.