chiaroscuro27 Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 Hey gang, I'm fresh out of school and already considering my next adventure. I've been looking to participate in medical missions ever since I decided to become a PA. I'm familiar with many of the organizations out there that utilize PAs and their services. Unfortunately, many of them have religious affiliations. Does anyone know of medical missions organizations that utilize PAs and are not associated with a religious faith? Thanks in advance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piper Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 http://www.capecares.org One of my former bosses (he is a PA) went with this group to Honduras and had a very positive experience with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest hubbardtim48 Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 FIMRC - Foundations of International Medical Relief of Children. I went to Peru last year and had a blast! Check it out! Good luck!:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiaroscuro27 Posted July 2, 2012 Author Share Posted July 2, 2012 Thanks! Capecares looks like a great organization. I'm hoping to do my first one early next year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted July 2, 2012 Moderator Share Posted July 2, 2012 Just because a mission has the support of a religious organization doesn't mean you will be expected to be a missionary. I go to Haiti with an organization that has a loose affiliation with a local church. they house us but do not direct what we do while in country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briepm Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 Just because a mission has the support of a religious organization doesn't mean you will be expected to be a missionary. I go to Haiti with an organization that has a loose affiliation with a local church. they house us but do not direct what we do while in country. I just want to second this - I went to Guatemala on a surgical mission as a translator this April, along with my brother who is a surgical resident. We went with the group Faith in Practice, a group associated with the Presbyterian Church. Neither my brother nor I are at all religious, but it was an incredible experience. Faith didn't come into the surgical mission except during a reflection/ meditation in the mornings (which was actually quite nice), and when patients were offered a chance to pray before surgery if they chose to. Sadly FIP doesn't use PA's - I wish- I'd love to go back! - but I wanted to echo EMEDPA's sentiment. Thanks for asking this question though - I can't wait to do another trip as a provider as soon as I'm qualified. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Paula Posted July 4, 2012 Share Posted July 4, 2012 This is directed to EMEDPA: you posted on a closed thread about an organization you were considering applying to for overseas work. I say...go for it. I am not familiar with that organization, but found it interesting that PA's are especially welcome. Many, and I mean, many years ago (in the 80's) I was a missionary assistant for one year in Ivory Coast, West Africa. I was not a PA then and the mission was not medical. I met the most wonderful people, including a medical doctor who ran a hospital in a remote village. I was able to watch a hysterectomy that was being performed because of a very large uterine tumor. There were screens on the windows, no air conditioning, local anesthesia, and the woman kept beating her arms against the boards they were partially strapped on. She was wailing because she was convinced she was pregnant, but no baby ever came. It was such a shame for her to not have children, in her culture. The family took care of her post-op by cooking for her. They stayed outside in the little cement 3 wall shelters and had their fire. I fainted during the surgery, but it was forever imprinted in my mind the wonderful doctors and local African men who were trained as nurses. The facilities lacked a lot of equipment, but compassion was generous. It was that experience that eventually enticed me to go to PA school 20 years later. You will not be sorry for the experience. I found the people very grateful of the medical staff. It made me realize I was extremely rich, even though I left my $6.25 an hour job as a dietitian to work in Africa that year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted July 4, 2012 Moderator Share Posted July 4, 2012 Thanks for sharing that. I have had similar experiences in Haiti but want to go to Africa, Asia, and South America at some point as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsqdvr Posted July 4, 2012 Share Posted July 4, 2012 Team 5 is a group that uses PAs. It was co-founded by the same person that started Remote Medical International. I believe they just got back from Guatemala and have tentative trips to India and the Philippines. To EMED - I'm having a good time in the North Pacific. And there is a new office in Oman with some opportunities out there. Feel free to join me! http://www.team-5.org Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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