Medical students in Florida assisting Haiti earthquake relief efforts

[ad_1]

A devastating earthquake hit the Caribbean in August, and Haiti, one of the world’s poorest countries, was among the affected countries.

Yamilette Gonzalez, in her second year of medical school at the University of Central Florida (UCF), visited the country as a volunteer before enrolling in medical school. In the time she was there, she saw that Haiti was already in dire straits. A natural disaster will only add to the need. Gonzalez and other UCSD medical students partnered with International Medical Outreach (IMO) to help victims.

“When the earthquake hit, we needed to raise awareness and provide relief,” she said. “So, working with IMO, I thought it would be a good idea for our medical school class to host a schoolwide fundraiser for Haiti.”

Meet seven other outstanding medical students who transitioned into medicine in 2021.

RELATED COVERAGE Answer 4 key questions to get your healthcare advocacy moving

Distribution Challenges

Distribution Challenges

Even before the earthquake, Gonzalez said, the situation on the ground was bleak. She had worked to help provide care in Haiti before enrolling in medical school, taking trips to the remote Mare-Brigmol area, and working with IMO.

Gonzalez said that getting supplies to Haitians has been difficult under normal circumstances. But the earthquake would have made the situation more difficult.

“Outside Port-au-Prince, the capital, it’s very difficult to get supplies,” Gonzalez said. “Food, water, medicine, you name it, they need it. The country’s infrastructure is not developed.

After the earthquake, students at UCF organized a targeted campaign, asking for money in addition to fabrics, first aid kits, toiletries, batteries, nappies, wipes, and non-perishable foods. During a global pandemic, first aid kits have proven difficult to obtain. Because of that, the UCF turned to the AMA, and requested a grant to help with relief efforts.

“One of the reasons we asked for the AMA is because of the need for first aid kits,” said Lauren Aronson, a second-year medical student at UCLA and a member of the association. “It’s expensive and parts can be hard to come by.” The AMA, through its Medical Student Outreach Program, awarded a grant that allowed the purchase of more than 70 first aid kits.

“This was my first time applying for an AMA scholarship,” Aronson said. “The AMA really cares about supporting students in their community service initiatives, and that was really shown by this scholarship. I was really pleased with their response and support for this service project.”

Learn how medical students are helping people without housing stay safe from COVID-19.

Related Coverage Discover 7 Outstanding Medical Students Who Transferred Medicine in 2021

About the program for communication with medical students

About the program for communication with medical students

Scholarships for UCF came from the AMA Medical Student Outreach Program, a peer-to-peer recruitment program that promotes AMA membership for first-year medical students. It also provides training and employment resources to encourage the next class of medical students to join the AMA.

For those looking to get involved, the AMA offers a nine-month leadership opportunity to second-year medical students who demonstrate excellent leadership, strong organizational skills, and a desire to build their professional network.

As a student outreach leader, you will lead your school’s AMA membership outreach efforts as you continue to build your professional network.

[ad_2]