While some students spend their summers basking under the sun on beaches, 35 Duke students will travel to Tegucigalpa, Honduras to aid medically underprivileged communities.
Duke Global Medical Brigades selected the group to travel to the Central American country from Aug. 8-14 to aid patients in low-income villages. This past summer, three doctors, 26 Duke students and a student from the University of California at Berkeley traveled there to help treat over 1,200 patients in eight days with another doctor from the local community.
DGMB is a student-run organization founded in 2007 that focuses on providing hands-on experience in the medical field, said senior Michael Tulio, president and founder of DGMB. A group with such focus, he said, had been lacking at the time when he created the club.
DGMB is a part of Global Medical Brigades-an international network of universities and volunteer organizations that provides sustainable health care relief to communities in developing countries.
"We were approved by [the Office of Student Activities and Facilities] in February last year and had only a third of a semester to prepare," said DGMB Secretary Tammy Chin, a sophomore. "This year we have more student interest and structure within."
Members of the organization participate in a variety of activities, from contacting doctors and nurses to preparing medical supplies and fundraising. Last year, DGMB received more than $100,000 in grants from Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. Although being a part of DukeEngage could help in terms of funding and organization, the 12-person limit that it would impose on the mission is not ideal, Tulio said.
"We are looking to expand due to so many interested people and limited space in the medical mission," he said. "The issues in third-world countries are about more than medical problems. Government, water sanitization and environment are all a part of the problem, and creating Duke Water Brigades is a strong possibility right now."
Tulio said he posted fliers around campus to solicit interest when he first brought DGMB to the University. This year, starting with a table during the Student Activities Fair, DGMB has had several information sessions and meetings.
"We have almost double the student interest we had last year," he said. "I think we have appealed mainly through word of mouth, started from people who have had great experience during the mission."
Although specific skills are not required, DGMB offers informal training in CPR and blood pressure measurements, in part to keep the program going through the years.
"Another important issue for us is sustaining DGMB," Tulio said. "We would like to continue to participate in the project and help those in need even after the initial members graduate."
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