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