Loyola Medical/Dental Brigade Panama January 2013

Affiliated Organization: Global Brigades USA
Group: Medical Brigades at Loyola University Chicago

Volunteer Activity Description
Medical Brigade volunteers will set up temporary clinics in pre-identified communities in Eastern Panama to provide healthcare where access is limited. Each community receives a brigade every 3-4 months. Students on the brigade are given the opportunity to shadow licensed health care professionals while learning about local Panamanian culture. A typical Medical/Dental Brigade clinic consists of six stations: Intake, Triage, Consultation, Dental, Charla (health education), and Pharmacy. Electronic patient records are collected during the brigade to ensure patient follow-up as well as to monitor overall community health trends. Between brigades, the in-country team maintains relationships with the communities to provide follow-up and conduct community health worker training aimed at empowering local leaders to perpetuate a consistent level of health care. For every student who volunteers on a Global Medical Brigade, sixty patients can see a doctor who otherwise would not be able to.

Dental Brigade volunteers will accompany a Medical Brigade in setting up temporary clinics in pre-identified communities in Eastern Panama. Each Dental Brigade will be accompanied by at least one Panamanian Dental Surgeon trained to provide immediate relief through dental extractions. Students will help perpetuate a sustainable dental initiative by providing preventative fluoride treatments, cleanings, and educational programs.