The Lincoln Memorial University-DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine (LMU-DCOM) International Medicine Club is planning a medical mission trip to the Dominican Republic in March.
The group will be travelling to the underserved and rural community of La Descubierta in the Dominican Republic. The group has visited the same area several times over the past three years. Sixteen LMU-DCOM faculty physicians and students will provide free medical services including general medicine, pediatrics, women’s health and house calls.
Not only will they provide medical care, but they will also provide hope for people who need it the most. While medical care is unattainable for many, most of the individuals the group will serve lives off of 77 cents per day.
“Having the opportunity to interact with and provide care to individuals that would otherwise have more difficulty accessing healthcare, given where they live in the Dominican Republic, was an unforgettable experience,” said Noah Eggers, a second-year medical student. “As a first-year student doctor, it allowed me to use skills that we have yet to utilize, which helped me reconnect with why I chose to get into medicine to begin with.”
This year, the group is partnering with the Internal Medical Alliance (IMA) of Tennessee, which has a mission to provide adequate an ongoing care to the Haitians and Dominicans in the community.
Last spring break, students and faculty provided medical care to more than 500 patients in four days. In July 2022 and March 2023, they provided medical care to nearly 800 patients. In return for their services, the students gain a global vision of health care and strengthen their intent to serve the underserved.
“It is so rewarding to share these experiences with LMU-DCOM students,” said Dr. Danielle Darter, assistant professor of family medicine. “We see them work hard, study hard and grow in so many ways on this mission trip.”
LMU-DCOM students not only volunteer their time to this spring break medical mission, but they also pay all their own costs, including vaccinations, trip insurance, air travel, ground transportation, meals and lodging.
The group will be in the Dominican Republic from March 23 – April 1, 2024.
If you would like to support IMA’s mission, follow this link: https://bit.ly/3ONQLSS
The DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine is located on the campus of Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tennessee and at LMU-Knoxville in Knoxville, Tennessee. LMU-DCOM is an integral part of LMU’s values-based learning community and is dedicated to preparing the next generation of osteopathic physicians to provide health care in the often-underserved region of Appalachia and beyond. For more information about LMU-DCOM, call 1.800.325.0900, ext. 7082, email dcom@LMUnet.edu, or visit us online at http://med.LMUnet.edu.
