Somos Amigos Medical Missions
Encyclopedia
Somos Amigos Medical Missions is a service trip that travels to the El Naranjito, Dominican Republic
several times a year to provide medical and dental care
for the local communities. The program was established in 1997 by a group of volunteers, dentist
s and physician
s looking to bring care for under-served areas in developing countries
. The program welcomes physicians, dentists, hygienists, medical
and dental students, nurses and translators of all backgrounds and ages. The group brings together volunteers from around the United States
and the world.
's Somos Amigos service trips. This program, formed about 20 years ago, took juniors at Georgetown Prep to various parts of the Dominican Republic every summer for about five weeks to work directly with a community. These trips often built water supplies
, school
s, churches and anything else the community needed. Around 1997, one of the founders of this trip, Frank Brightwell, consulted his doctor, Dr Mike Keegan, and a dentist and Prep Alum, Dr John Conaghan, to bring a few people down to provide medical and dental care. This first trip included six volunteers, one doctor and one dentist. They could only serve basic needs for the community, but laid the foundation and experience to help the trip grow.
One of the most important aspects of this trip is the relationship with the community of Naranjito. From the outset, Somos Amigos has worked directly with the community on every decision concerning the program. This is essential to the program's philosophy, that the program is not just giving medical care to the campesinos
, but establishing a relationship with the people they serve. Somos Amigos realizes that nothing would be possible without the support and help from the community of Naranjito, as well as the donor
s and the volunteers who come on each trip.
, the program relies solely on donation
s to purchase the supplies it needs, including medical
and dental equipment, medicines and other supplies required to support a large group of people.
was conducted in the community church and school. As the program grew, there was need for more space. Eventually a dedicated clinic building was erected in 2004 to give the doctors and the pharmacy
a larger and more permanent place to work. With the backing of various donors and funding
, the clinic area continued to grow as the program began seeing more patients from the surrounding areas. A second building was added in 2005 at the back of the first so that the dentists had their own premises in which to work. Over the next few years, a new school was built so that the children would not have to miss school while the clinic was open. The old school became a lab
and women's clinic as the program sought to expand the services they could provide for the people. A new church was recently built for the community.
volunteers, medical students, young professionals, translators and professional physicians and dentists.
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
several times a year to provide medical and dental care
Dentistry
Dentistry is the branch of medicine that is involved in the study, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases, disorders and conditions of the oral cavity, maxillofacial area and the adjacent and associated structures and their impact on the human body. Dentistry is widely considered...
for the local communities. The program was established in 1997 by a group of volunteers, dentist
Dentist
A dentist, also known as a 'dental surgeon', is a doctor that specializes in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases and conditions of the oral cavity. The dentist's supporting team aides in providing oral health services...
s and physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
s looking to bring care for under-served areas in developing countries
Developing country
A developing country, also known as a less-developed country, is a nation with a low level of material well-being. Since no single definition of the term developing country is recognized internationally, the levels of development may vary widely within so-called developing countries...
. The program welcomes physicians, dentists, hygienists, medical
Medical Student
Medical Student may refer to:*Someone studying at medical school*Medical Student Newspaper, a UK publication...
and dental students, nurses and translators of all backgrounds and ages. The group brings together volunteers from around the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and the world.
Establishment and philosophy
The Somos Amigos Medical Mission formed as a result of Georgetown Preparatory SchoolGeorgetown Preparatory School
Georgetown Preparatory School is an American Jesuit college preparatory school for grades 9 through 12. It is the oldest all boys school in the United States, and the only Jesuit boarding school in the country...
's Somos Amigos service trips. This program, formed about 20 years ago, took juniors at Georgetown Prep to various parts of the Dominican Republic every summer for about five weeks to work directly with a community. These trips often built water supplies
Water supply
Water supply is the provision of water by public utilities, commercial organisations, community endeavours or by individuals, usually via a system of pumps and pipes...
, school
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
s, churches and anything else the community needed. Around 1997, one of the founders of this trip, Frank Brightwell, consulted his doctor, Dr Mike Keegan, and a dentist and Prep Alum, Dr John Conaghan, to bring a few people down to provide medical and dental care. This first trip included six volunteers, one doctor and one dentist. They could only serve basic needs for the community, but laid the foundation and experience to help the trip grow.
One of the most important aspects of this trip is the relationship with the community of Naranjito. From the outset, Somos Amigos has worked directly with the community on every decision concerning the program. This is essential to the program's philosophy, that the program is not just giving medical care to the campesinos
Peasant
A peasant is an agricultural worker who generally tend to be poor and homeless-Etymology:The word is derived from 15th century French païsant meaning one from the pays, or countryside, ultimately from the Latin pagus, or outlying administrative district.- Position in society :Peasants typically...
, but establishing a relationship with the people they serve. Somos Amigos realizes that nothing would be possible without the support and help from the community of Naranjito, as well as the donor
Donation
A donation is a gift given by physical or legal persons, typically for charitable purposes and/or to benefit a cause. A donation may take various forms, including cash, services, new or used goods including clothing, toys, food, and vehicles...
s and the volunteers who come on each trip.
Background
The town of El Naranjito is located in the mountains of the Santiago Province, about two and a half hours west of Santiago, Dominican Republic. The volunteers spend about a week in the village, staying in the homes of the campesinos. Over the course of the week, the program sees about 800 people, and holds medical and dental records for over 3500 people. The doctors will typically see around 650 people, and the dentists around 250 people. All of the services provided are free of charge to the campesinos. Because Somos Amigos is a non-profitNon-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
, the program relies solely on donation
Donation
A donation is a gift given by physical or legal persons, typically for charitable purposes and/or to benefit a cause. A donation may take various forms, including cash, services, new or used goods including clothing, toys, food, and vehicles...
s to purchase the supplies it needs, including medical
Medical equipment
Medical equipment is designed to aid in the diagnosis, monitoring or treatment of medical conditions.-Types:There are several basic types:* Diagnostic equipment includes medical imaging machines, used to aid in diagnosis...
and dental equipment, medicines and other supplies required to support a large group of people.
The Clinic
In the early years, the clinicClinic
A clinic is a health care facility that is primarily devoted to the care of outpatients...
was conducted in the community church and school. As the program grew, there was need for more space. Eventually a dedicated clinic building was erected in 2004 to give the doctors and the pharmacy
Pharmacy
Pharmacy is the health profession that links the health sciences with the chemical sciences and it is charged with ensuring the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs...
a larger and more permanent place to work. With the backing of various donors and funding
Funding
Funding is the act of providing resources, usually in form of money , or other values such as effort or time , for a project, a person, a business or any other private or public institutions...
, the clinic area continued to grow as the program began seeing more patients from the surrounding areas. A second building was added in 2005 at the back of the first so that the dentists had their own premises in which to work. Over the next few years, a new school was built so that the children would not have to miss school while the clinic was open. The old school became a lab
Laboratory
A laboratory is a facility that provides controlled conditions in which scientific research, experiments, and measurement may be performed. The title of laboratory is also used for certain other facilities where the processes or equipment used are similar to those in scientific laboratories...
and women's clinic as the program sought to expand the services they could provide for the people. A new church was recently built for the community.
Volunteers
The program has grown much from its humble beginnings. The number of volunteers has expanded from about 15 in the early years to around 55 people. The clinic now runs three trips a year, typically in January, June and October. This allows for the volunteers to choose when they can serve based on their work and personal schedules, and also allows for a greater number of people to become involved without overwhelming the Naranjito community. The program brings together people from various professional and social backgrounds, including high schoolHigh school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
volunteers, medical students, young professionals, translators and professional physicians and dentists.