COM Outlook - Summer 2015

20 Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine 21 O n the first morning, we arrived at a small school for the blind that we turned into our clinic. We met with the Damas Salesianas for America Developing Smiles organization, which hosted us and helped organize services in the community. As soon as we stepped off the bus, there were about 150 locals waiting for us to provide services. Each patient was given a number in the order in which he or she arrived. We quickly set up our triage station, where we took the patients’ blood pressure, weight, temperature, and blood-glucose levels. The patients were then sent to see the family doctors, the osteopathic (OMM) physician, or the dermatologist depending on their complaint. Each student was assigned shifts— one in the morning and one in the afternoon. This provided us the opportunity to work with each doctor as well as gain experience in triage and pharmacy. Throughout the clinic, we set up various doctor stations where the patients could be evaluated. Of the nine students on the trip, three were fluent Spanish speakers, while the rest were beginner/intermediate level. As a result, we all had to practice our Spanish in order to communicate with our patients. Throughout the week, we went to three different clinics. We saw a plethora of cases such as chikungunya, necrotizing fasciitis, gangrene, hypertension, diabetes, viral infections, and polio, as well as a woman who was about to go into respiratory failure who we sent to the closest hospital after stabilizing. Not only did we see a variety of cases, but we also gained insight into the patients’ cultural beliefs. For example, one woman believed the devil was inside her because the rugae on her endoscopy photos looked like a hand. Another lady believed the reason she Being in the Dominican Republic and treating a population that does not have adequate access to health care allowed us to appreciate what is some- times taken for granted in the United States. was aching everywhere was because someone had poisoned her. Being in the Dominican Republic and treating a population that does not have adequate access to health care allowed us to appreciate what is some- times taken for granted in the United States. We were able to see rare cases and get more of an insight about how these individuals visualize health. As a team, we worked hard in not only treating but also in educating the indigenous people. Each patient was sent home with multivitamins and toothbrushes to help promote better hygiene and health. We also took the time to explain what each medication was for and why they should take it. However, the trip was not all hard work. One afternoon, we went white- water rafting up in the mountains. The excursion lasted about two-and-a-half hours, with much of the time being a pure adrenaline rush of trying not to fall out of the raft. During the quiet parts of our journey down the rapids, we were able to soak in the beautiful scenery around us. It was definitely an unforgettable experience. A week after we arrived, we boarded our plane and headed back to Fort Lauderdale with nothing but remark- able things to say. The week we spent in the Dominican Republic was a memorable experience to say the least. As a team, we worked together with the ultimate proficiency and were able to get to know each other on a more personal level, becoming the closest of friends.