Global Medical Training

November 16, 2017

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What initially inspired you to join GMT and what motivates you to stay in the organization now?

As a transfer student I was exploring my options of getting involved with on-campus organizations and that is when I came across GMT. “A student run medical mission organizations that operates internationally and locally with an emphasis on public health”- that definitely caught my attention. The vision of incorporating the public health mindset in this traditional medical setting of ‘treating symptoms’ was what attracted me to GMT. As aspiring health professionals I believe it is essential for everyone to embody this public health mindset as it is the building block of sustainable health care.

 

As the current president of GMT, what is your vision for the organization?

GMT is currently in its elementary stage, however, it has endless potentials of becoming a more sustainable undergraduate run medical service provider. Keeping a holistic mindset about  medicine through incorporating public health interventions into our projects in the different countries where GMT operates  and continuing our effort to educate the Berkeley community on global health issues would allow us to maximize the impacts of our services.

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Please share your volunteering experiences with GMT.

My first medical trip with GMT was to Panama in Fall 2016. This trip gave me a different view of medicine; a more vivid awareness and greater insights about issues surrounding global health. Much of this understanding also comes from my personal experience, from growing up in Nepal, a developing nation. These trips are a good way for people to get an exposure into global health, to see the disparity that is present in healthcare worldwide, to understand what it means to be in a situation where lack of resource, and limited access as well as affordability prevents people from receiving the most basic health care.

An advice that I would give is don’t establish expectations for these trips, go with an open mind, have that curiosity to learn more from these experiences while doing the most you can in the clinics. While these trips can be the stepping stone into medicine for some people, it can also be a pivot point of affirmation in your decision of becoming a more holistic health care provider.  

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In your opinion, what is the role of public health in ensuring a healthy community. Why is public health important in health care?

When it comes to global health there is always the question of a sustainability and in order to have a sustainable impact in our health care services, it is imperative to emphasize on public health. Public health highlights on the determinants of health and targets the causes of the symptoms rather than our traditional medicine which focuses on treating the symptoms. “Prevention is the best cure” was something our health and nutrition teacher emphasized while I grew up in Nepal. As cliche as it sounds, public health intervention truly embodies this mindset. It increases awareness of prevention on an individual, community and population level. As aspiring health professionals it is essential for us to keep this mindset moving forward so we can provide a more sustainable health care.