A Peruvian Experience

October 19, 2009

by Craig Reed

Before fall semester classes began, MSUCOM students, together with fellow students from the College of Human Medicine and Wayne State University, took part in a medical mission to Trujillo, Peru.

“Our clinic was operated in cooperation with the Rotary Club of Huamachuco, Peru, who allowed us to use their building, and Hospital Estatal Leoncio Prado.  We toured the latter and were assisted by a local physician and nurses from this public hospital during the five days we that we provided medical care,” said Dr. Gary Willyerd, acting associate dean for MSUCOM-DMC, who led the medical mission. “Sixty percent of the population in this area does not have access to routine health care. This is also an area known for open pit mining, which can expose children to high levels of lead, so we conducted lead screening on pediatric patients.”

The 24 students, 11 physicians, two nurses and one dentist on the mission trip saw approximately 1,200 patients during their stay. The most common problems were the results of poor hygiene, nutrition and lack of sanitation.

“This was my first trip to Peru,” said second-year osteopathic medical student Yvette Gross. “The area we were in is remote, but it regularly hosts MSU students, like from the College of Agriculture, for example.

“While we were down there, we were able to put all of our skills to good use. We (the medical students) would evaluate each patient and present it to one the doctors who would educate us about each case,” continued Yvette. “We had opportunities to work with different physicians, get to know them and the area of medicine they practice. The most rewarding thing, though, were the patients. They were so grateful that we had traveled there to offer help.”

“This was an amazing trip for me, but it was also special because my father, who is a doctor, was able to join us on this trip,” said second-year osteopathic student Vincent Ganapini. “He’s the one who really got me interested in medicine in the first place. When I told him I was going on this trip to Peru, he made the arrangements to where he could be a part of this. It was wonderful to go on a medical mission trip with him and work side-by-side with him as a medical student. This was a memorable trip, and I hope I’ll be able to go again later in my medical career.”