Medical Campus Outreach and Summer Medical Institute 2001: Cross Cultural Project to Venezuela

The Mission

The Summer Medical Institute is a student-oriented program designed to teach medical professionals how to share the compassion of Christ through their medicine and through their lives.  We seek to do so by providing intensive medical training along with in-depth personal character study.  Our premise is that an excellent medical professional is one that has a commanding knowledge of medicine united with carefully developed compassion for and understanding people.  Medically, we will serve six different clinics in poor urban and rural areas in Venezuela.  36 physicians from various disciplines as well as other medical professionals will train students to take histories, perform exams, and diagnose patients in a Third World setting.        The personal character development will be facilitated by the cultural experience, teaching, group discussions, and personal reflection.  Our interactions with patients during the day and weekend travel will challenge our own high pace, complex view of life.  In the evenings we will spend time studying the life of Christ and teachings of the Bible to develop our own framework for moral and ethical decisions.  Several physicians will explain how they have incorporated their faith into their life and practice.        Our desire is that SMI 2000 will impact the nation of Venezuela while challenging students physically, mentally, and spiritually in a way that will change how they practice medicine forever."

Specifics about my assignment:

Where:  Merida, Venezuela When:   June 11 - July 2, 2001 Who:     -Medical Campus Outreach ministry             -Around 70-80 medical and health professions students from Southeast medical             schools, including Vanderbilt, Medical College of Georgia, Medical University             of South Carolina, and Emory             -Around 30 U.S. doctors from various disciplines as well as dentists, nurses,             physical therapists, and occupational therapists             -Translators             -A full-time missionary administrator (Dr. John Powell - Pediatrician and founder             of Evangelism Task Force             -Support Staff of cooks, bus drivers, etc. Why:    -For the medical and spiritual needs of Venezuelans in Merida to be met            -For students to begin using their skills in a practical setting alongside experienced            Christian physicians and health care professionals.            -For students to grow in a relationship with Christ as they experience life in a            cross-cultural setting

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