On this trip, I will serve as a primary care provider to local, underserved families and as a medical preceptor to local medical students in Santo Domingo from both INTEC and PUCMM schools of medicine. The community served is characterized by low-income families with significant barriers to access of medical care and medications contributing to high rates of non-communicable disease. Through VCU Health System, this medical outreach program has supported the same community since 2006 and has thus remained a key component of community medical care. By remaining an integral part of the community with support of local medical schools and providers, this trip provides continuity of care that is not always typical of travel medicine. The clinic provides diabetes checks, routine check-ups, acute medicine evaluations, and medication refills free of cost. Additionally, on this trip, I hope to delve into the barriers to diabetes management and nutritional understanding within the community to better fill knowledge gaps and close this gap on this and future trips.
The communities in the peri-urban area of Santo Domingo will be served in this project. These families are traditionally underserved and low-income, as such, the clinic serves to provide evaluations, screenings, and medications that would otherwise be unavailable. The volunteer also makes home trips in more isolated and discriminated against areas of the city to address health needs without sacrificing their comfort or security within their community.
The impact of this clinic far exceeds the week of the trip alone. By remaining an integral part of medical care in the community, it avoids "medical tourism" that has become more common in travel medicine. Typically during these week-long trips, over 500 individuals will be served within a 4 day span. During my trip, I hope to learn more about nutritional limitations and educational gaps in the community to provide needed education and also prepare appropriate materials to provide on future trips to the clinic in the future.
On this trip, we provided essential medical care to a community in the Dominican Republic that faces significant barriers to healthcare access. Each day, we treated approximately 100 patients of all ages and backgrounds. Beyond immediate care, we contributed to a long-term effort by operating a mobile clinic that has been serving this community for the past 20 years, ensuring continuity of care for those who would otherwise lack access to regular medical check-ups.
We went door-to-door in a neighboring community where residents are often hesitant to seek care in town or visit our usual clinic. We triaged health concerns, conducted blood pressure and diabetes screenings, and provided refills for chronic medications, bringing healthcare directly to those in need.
Additionally, we collaborated with a team of medical students from Santo Domingo, offering hands-on learning experiences and mentorship. By engaging these students in patient care, we not only enhanced their clinical skills but also fostered a deeper commitment to serving underserved communities close to home.
