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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 11, 2004)
MEXICO Humanos Medicas Beyond study abroad: A&M students, professors learn while volunteering. One participant shares his experience in rural Mexico. F ive Texas A&M students and two professors joined stu dents and doctors from the Humanos Medicas organization on a medical mission trip in rural Mexico during Summer 2003. I was one of the A&M students, initially a part of a 12-person Journalism Mexico Study Abroad group, who agreed to stay longer to participate in the Humanos Medicas mission. Humanos Medicas in my best Spanish translation means '‘human medical hands,” which only begins to describe what this organization does in rural Mexico. Dr. Debra Blakely, visiting assis tant professor of journalism, led the original Journalism Study Abroad group and saw an opportunity in association with Dr. Miguel Ahumada, dean of La Salle Medical University. With the help of the Texas A&M Student Affairs Office, she secured the funds necessary for us to extend our stay and participate in this important medical mission. Michelle Smith, a senior Spanish major; Steve Ramirez, a senior international studies major; Jonathan Kirkland, a senior eco nomics major, MBA student Alvar Baldarrama and I were assigned to help with a medical research project under the direction of Dr. Nilesh Chatterjee, assistant professor of the Health & Kinesiology, and Blakely. Our main goal was to record Humanos Medicas activities to study the group and make improve ments for future medical missions. My assignment as a science and technology journalism master’s stu dent was to act as the photojoumal- ist for the mission. The group of 100 medical stu dents, 12 doctors, 15 staff and seven Aggies left for the central Mexican town of Cholula, Puebla, in late July. Medical students, along with consulting doctors, organized gen eral medicine, pediatrics, psycholo gy, nutrition, optometry and dental clinics to provide health care to local residents. Many of the patients I spoke with after their visits with Humanos Medicas students said this was the only time that they could see a doctor. After finishing work each day we traveled back from the rural com munities to Cholula, where our hosts provided dormitory-style sleeping arrangements and food. The clinics were held for three days in the four rural adjacent areas, with more than 1,000 patients receiving examinations and care. Learning opportunities were twofold. Medical students gained experience from treating patients, and Aggies developed interviewing and research techniques. Humanos Medicas missions had gone relatively unknown in the local media, so I hosted a 20- Pictured top left: Senior eco nomics major Jonathan Kirkland interviews local residents wile practicing his Spanish. Top center: Spanish conquerors built 250 churches over Mayan temples in the town of Cholula, site of the free med ical clinics hosted by Humanos <y> Medicas. Top right: Medical student m Carolina Munoz takes time to P play with children from the rural 2 village of San Tehuiloyocan. * Left: Students from Mexico ) ' City-area medical schools, accompanied by doctors, diag- — nose and perform minor treat ments for those who cannot afford medical care. minute live broadcast at ABC Radio in Mexico City, where I had interned. The last five weeks of our 10-week study abroad consisted of internships with public relations firms, travel companies and major media outlets in Mexico City. Humanos Medicas will embark on another medical mis sion this spring, and A&M plans to work with them again this summer. The Study Abroad office is currently accepting applica tions. — Story, photos by Robert Wilcox 6 Go Away! Study Abroad takes Texas A&M students across the world in different academic programs. Illustrated are 14 of the 43 faculty-led program destinations for 2004, with the name of the faculty contact for each program. For information, contact the Study Abroad Programs office bv visiting Bizzelt Hall West, calling 845-0344 or taking a look online at studyabroad.tamu.edu. Germany, VetMed Germany, Arts July 14-August 20 May 30-July 3 Elizabeth Crouch Tom Woodfin ecrouch@cvm.tamu.edu woodfin@tamu.edu Costa Rica, Education May 29-July 3 Jim Woosley jwoosley@tamu.edu Italy, Fall 2004 August 28-December 6 Michael Murphy mdmurphy@archone.tamu.edu Australia, Political Science May 26- July 1 Norman Luttbeg n-luttbeg@tamu.edu Australia/New Zealand, Psychology (Winterbreak) December 19-January 14 Arnold Lellnes Arnold-Leunes@tamu.edu 3 PROGRAMS