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anyone been to haiti?


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Nope, but my father-in-law (retired policeman) tried to go a year or two ago.

Instead he ended up in Baghdad and is there now...the man doesn't know how to retire.

Come to think of it, though, one of the first PA graduates of Pacific (Class of '99) went on a rotation to Haiti. Port-au-Prince I think. She was the trendsetter for the international rotations at PU. I've lost touch with her...lemme think...Kelly something (Carmichael maybe? married name)...she got married but I think she's still in Portland. Somebody at the program could probably put you in touch or perhaps through P-VPAS?

Good luck.....

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Ok buddy here is the real deal (I spoke to my friend who is from Hati)

 

She said if are from the states especially if you are Caucasian its ok to go to Hati.... She says as an American you are not seen as a threat (you are seen in an altruistic manner)

 

She says most of the in fighting is among politicians..But like any other place on the planet stay alert... Just keeping it real!

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I saw a "60 minutes" episode last year on a doc who spends a TON of time in haiti -- it was really just absolutely amazing. maybe you can see the episode of you google it?

 

I'm guessing it was about paul farmer, md an ID doc from boston. he spends around 9 mo/yr there and has a haitian family there.

a book about him" mountains beyond mountains" is part of the reason I am trying to go there....

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I saw a "60 minutes" episode last year on a doc who spends a TON of time in haiti -- it was really just absolutely amazing. maybe you can see the episode of you google it?

 

Yes and 60 minutes also sells there episodes.... I bought one a few year ago for about $75 bucks....

 

Overall I thnk people look at you differently when they know you are in there country to help..

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I'm guessing it was about paul farmer, md an ID doc from boston. he spends around 9 mo/yr there and has a haitian family there.

a book about him" mountains beyond mountains" is part of the reason I am trying to go there....

 

yes, it was paul farmer. his organization is "partners in health" -- I just googled it.

 

here is a link if anyone wants to get started checking him out:

 

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/05/01/60minutes/main4063191.shtml

 

great stuff.

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anyone been to haiti?

I have been invited to join a medical mission to leon in the western mtns of haiti for this summer...

 

I have been to Haiti on a few occasions over the past ten years or so. I stayed in the capital Port-au-Prince on each trip but have done some minor traveling up the coast. Mostly work teams but on my last trip I was able to spend a week with a retired American PA (believe he was in Emory's second graduating class). It was by far my favorite trip as I was able to work with him for a week at the various clinics he ran. At last check he was still living there essentially full time. I can tell you that the Haitian people are exceedingly gracious to recieve care from American medical providers. It was awesome to watch this PA with 20+ years experience practice pure medicine absent from the hassles of paperwork and the like. And I agree Mountains Beyond Mountains is a great read.

 

In regards to safety it certainly helps to have contacts on the ground in Haiti that can advise you on the security status leading up to your trip. In my experience we have only had to cancel one trip about a week ahead of time because of unrest. I imagine that the organization your are applying to has those contacts set up. Unrest is fairly common there and if you are in the city you are likely to hear gunshots in the evening etc., but most organizations are good at keeping people in secure housing and being aware of situations aroung them. If you have any specific questions about being there let me know. Also one of my first year PA classmates has been several times and I could ask her if she has been to the area you are thinking of traveling to. Hope this opportunity works out for you and as a side note Haiti makes some great rum that you can get cheap at the airport on your way out.

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I'm going in a few weeks.

got my typhoid and polio vaccs and picked up my chloriquine and mosquito bed netting . a buddy of mine told me to look out for "vivid dreams" on cloriquine. he said he woke up thinking he was being eaten by giant beetles....great....

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a buddy of mine told me to look out for "vivid dreams" on cloriquine. he said he woke up thinking he was being eaten by giant beetles....great.....

 

it's really true. I took chloriquine in indonesia for about 6 weeks and it is AMAZING how vivid the dreams are...I woke up from one dream just sobbing, it was completely cathartic. I really liked it/them (I know, I'm weird).... :p

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I have been to Haiti on a few occasions over the past ten years or so. I stayed in the capital Port-au-Prince on each trip but have done some minor traveling up the coast. Mostly work teams but on my last trip I was able to spend a week with a retired American PA (believe he was in Emory's second graduating class). It was by far my favorite trip as I was able to work with him for a week at the various clinics he ran. At last check he was still living there essentially full time. I can tell you that the Haitian people are exceedingly gracious to recieve care from American medical providers. It was awesome to watch this PA with 20+ years experience practice pure medicine absent from the hassles of paperwork and the like. And I agree Mountains Beyond Mountains is a great read.

 

In regards to safety it certainly helps to have contacts on the ground in Haiti that can advise you on the security status leading up to your trip. In my experience we have only had to cancel one trip about a week ahead of time because of unrest. I imagine that the organization your are applying to has those contacts set up. Unrest is fairly common there and if you are in the city you are likely to hear gunshots in the evening etc., but most organizations are good at keeping people in secure housing and being aware of situations aroung them. If you have any specific questions about being there let me know. Also one of my first year PA classmates has been several times and I could ask her if she has been to the area you are thinking of traveling to. Hope this opportunity works out for you and as a side note Haiti makes some great rum that you can get cheap at the airport on your way out.

 

This guy sounds like a real PA hero. Has he ever won (or been nominated) for PA humanitarian of the year?

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hmm, malarone caused no such dreams and didn't need to be taken for such a long time pre/post-trip...

 

did something similar to this in peru sans buildings/walls pre-pa career, worked in the triage area. was amazing but probably the hardest thing i've ever done. hard to feel like you're making a lasting difference with such a short visit. i'm sure that's different with a long-standing clinic.

 

good luck and be careful.

 

I'm really more concerned about dengue than anything else. I will be applying 100% deet jungle juice regularly.... the teams have a history there and are well liked and appreciated by the haitians.

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EMEDPA-

I spent several months there when I was in the service. i can echo some of the above posts by saying that, for the most part, the people are extremely appreciative if you are there to help. That being said, it is also a third-world country (what does that mean anymore?), so make sure somebody is watching your back.

 

Also, I got two words for you: BUG JUICE!!!! Seriously, the stuff we used was like powdered sulfur in an oil-base. Lovely smell, but it worked. I still have gear that smells like it almost fifteen years later. oh the memories.

 

Good luck to you, and be safe.

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i used that 100% DEET, and you know what? 200+ mosquito/chigger/random bug bites later, i decided it didn't work any better than the normal Off some others were using. also caused a lot of nausea and HA. one of the docs i went with discouraged use of 100% deet as too much gets absorbed and you then get the lovely systemic side effects. i second the sulfur stuff, though patients might give you funny looks 'cuz you smell nasty.

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I used to teach in Louis Simon, Dominican Republic. It is three kilometers from the border of Hati in the mountians. Beautiful country, wonderful people... very very poor. Malnutrition, TB, and HIV are very prevalant. Good Luck!

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EMEDPA-

I spent several months there when I was in the service. i can echo some of the above posts by saying that, for the most part, the people are extremely appreciative if you are there to help. That being said, it is also a third-world country (what does that mean anymore?), so make sure somebody is watching your back.

 

Also, I got two words for you: BUG JUICE!!!! Seriously, the stuff we used was like powdered sulfur in an oil-base. Lovely smell, but it worked. I still have gear that smells like it almost fifteen years later. oh the memories.

 

Good luck to you, and be safe.

 

Hey, we must've been there at the same time. I was on the advance invasion force with the 10th Mtn Div during Operation Restore Democracy back in 1994. I remember having trouble sleeping at night because of the stench of urine wafting out of Port-au-prince. I mostly did convoy security for movements between the harbor and airfield. When I moved over to the airfield, I'd stay awake at night while on guard duty by stomping on tarantulas...literally hundreds of them. I do remember that Haiti had the most incredible sunsets I have ever seen. Incredible cloud formations.

 

Have fun Emedpa!

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I just bought some of the permetherin saturated insect guard shirts and pants from ex oficio at rei...seriously...

 

Hey, set up a blog so we can monitor your day to day experience. You prob won't have satellite internet like we set up in Pak.:o

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