WSU students and faculty in Guatemala for service-learning health mission over spring break
Friday, March 31, 2017
By Chancellor Lisa Brown
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Dear Friends of WSU Spokane, I recently had my best spring break ever: joining students and faculty from WSU (Spokane and Pullman campuses) and EWU, as well as health care providers from Spokane and beyond, on a service-learning health mission to Guatemala.
Organized by the nonprofit Hearts in Motion, the annual trip involves teams performing surgeries, delivering dental care, providing speech and hearing therapy, pharmacy and primary care services in a hospital, working in a child nutrition center and an orphanage in Zacapa, Guatemala, as well as setting up and hosting "one day clinics" in rural villages. Students, under the supervision of faculty and preceptors, assisted in all aspects of care delivery, including setting up mobile dental clinics, administering hearing exams, blood testing for iron deficiency, dispensing medications, caring for patients post-surgery, translating from Spanish to English, and of course, playing soccer with kids and holding infants and toddlers (my favorite part!). The trip was a crash course in team-based care in challenging environments. It was rewarding for me to see our students "ace the course" and demonstrate the road they are on to becoming responsible and compassionate health care providers.
I deeply appreciate all the WSU faculty who participated, especially Dr. Amy Meredith from Speech and Hearing Sciences, Dr. Lisa Woodard from the College of Pharmacy, Dr. Ana Maria Rodriguez from the College of Arts and Sciences, and Dr. Kathy Beerman, also of the College of Arts and Sciences. These faculty not only devoted their spring break to mentoring students, but also took time to show me the ropes and include me in the work and the fun. A special shout out to oral surgeon Dr. Mark Paxton and Seattle businessman Howard Wright, both stellar Coug alums, who have participated in and supported the trip for years. I have never been more proud to be part of this university. Go Cougs! (and Go Zags!)
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