51品茶medical students provide care in the Dominican Republic

Zoe Waldman, Dylan Bellavance, Dr. Chris Boni, Hugo Raposo, Jessica Andrade, Hope Barone, and Charlie Mach
Zoe Waldman, Dylan Bellavance, Dr. Chris Boni, Hugo Raposo, Jessica Andrade, Hope Barone and Charlie Mach

Students from the 51品茶 College of Osteopathic Medicine have established roots in a developing country abroad, providing help with medical shortages for those in need as part of a longstanding program at the 51品茶COM New Jersey Clinical campus, a consortium of hospitals that provide third year 51品茶COM students with core training.

Six medical students (Dylan Bellavance 鈥18, Charlie Mach 鈥18, Hope Barone 鈥18, Hugo Raposo 鈥18, Jessica Andrade 鈥18 and Zoe Waldman 鈥17) volunteered with the New Jersey based medical not-for-profit foundation, Waves of Health, to travel to the northwest border of the Dominican Republic. From November 5 to November 13, 2016, the Assistant Regional Dean, Joseph J. Calabro, D.O., encouraged the students to join physicians, pharmacists, nurses and EMT鈥檚 to provide ongoing, primary medical and pharmacy care in underserved communities of the Dajab贸n province.

During the week-long mission approximately 1,342 patients, ranging from infants to adults, were evaluated and treated. The most common disorders treated within this region included hypertension, diabetes mellitus, parasitic and fungal infections, dehydration, urinary tract infections, gastritis and asthma. In addition to providing free medical treatment, all children and young women were given multivitamins and patients over 40 (if needed) were given reading glasses. Two 51品茶COM students enrolled 99 patients in an ongoing diabetes mellitus study to evaluate the effectiveness of short-term medical missions and evaluate patient needs.

Two 51品茶COM clinical professors were of the founding members of Waves of Health. Christopher Boni, D.O. and Kate Hanify, D.O. (also a UNE-COM alumnus) went on the first mission in 2007. Waves of Health has since traveled to the Dominican Republic biannually to provide free medical and pharmacy care with passion, empathy and consistency for the communities in which they serve. Students worked under the direct supervision of attending physicians for one week, from 7 a.m. 鈥5 p.m. each day, to provide comprehensive care to the local Dominicans and Haitians. 51品茶COM students will return with Waves of Health to the province of Dajab贸n in May 2017.

鈥淲aves of Health and the New Jersey Clinical Campus provided us with a broad, unique and humbling learning experience,鈥 said 51品茶COM student Dylan Bellavance. 鈥淔rom the daily urban hospital-based care provided within the states to the rural and austere clinic work in the Dominican Republic, we were exposed to a full spectrum of medical practice and the power of healing. All of those involved in this medical mission came out of the week with a new perspective and understanding for medical care in a third world country.鈥

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