Service learning in Honduras: An elective for senior medical students

As a part of a month-long elective, students attended lectures to learn about Honduran culture and medical care in third-world countries. After two weeks of preparation, the team flew into the airport in San Pedro Sula and took the four and a half hour bus ride to Pinares, where they worked for the second weeks.

The group worked on projects dealing with community and children’s health, medical and dental care, midwifery and water filtration.

The children’s health project provides basic health screenings for Honduran youth. Tests included hemoglobin, height, weight and vision. According to medical student Nathan D. McLaughlin, this project takes place in eight different villages, serving between 30 and 100 children daily.

The team also taught local health workers the basics of wound care and gave local midwives lessons on infant delivery. McLaughlin said most Honduran villagers have their babies at home because of the four-hour hike to the hospital.

The group did substantial hiking to deliver water filtration systems to village houses. The system consists of clay pots fired with colloidal silver, making them antibacterial. Students went into the houses of the villagers to teach them how to use the system.

McLaughlin recalls it as a humbling experience, seeing how people live on less than a dollar a day. According to McLaughlin, the homes ranged from cinderblock houses with tin roofs to stick houses.

“They may not have had much but they were grateful. You can’t imagine it until you really see the poorest of the poor,” McLaughlin said.

Dr. Lawrence, faculty in the department of family medicine said he feels the trip was rewarding. “You came back with more than you gave because it was a mutual exchange,” Lawrence said. “We’re not there to rescue, we’re there to strengthen the system they already have.”

While Lawrence was able to use his Spanish to communicate with locals, most of the others relied on the Belgian foreign exchange high school students who served as translators.

“It was amazing how quickly we could work as a team,” Lawrence said.

Some students made attempts to communicate with the locals on their own.

“You learn how to do a lot with hand gestures,” said medical student Amy O’Toole.

Lawrence said among Honduran villagers, there were decreased incidences of sluggish thyroid, heart disease and stroke. He said there were no cases of obesity. Lawrence attributes this to their physically laborious lifestyle and natural diet.

Dr. Steven Crossman, professor in the department of family medicine and the coordinator of the trip, said the department plans to offer the elective again in the fall.