At the American Osteopathic Association’s 114th annual Osteopathic Medical Conference and Exposition in November, Des Moines University leaders encouraged alumni to go global – with their medical alma mater.
DMU leaders highlighted the University’s global health program during the conference because interest in global health trips continues to grow among DMU students in all programs. That gives alumni and other health care practitioners these important roles in the program:
Understand DMU’s commitment to enriching students’ clinical skills and cultural awareness through global health. Since its global health program began in 2007, more than 130 students have helped under-served people in 26 countries, including at sites in Uganda, Mexico, Central America and South Africa.
Support students in gaining global health experiences. Donors can sponsor a student on a global health trip with a gift of $2,000 or more; gifts to the program of any amount also help.
Join a global health trip. Experienced health care providers on these trips offer invaluable guidance to DMU students and lifesaving care to people in need. One-week service trips and longer clinical rotations are available.
Get informed. Visit the DMU global health website, or call the DMU development office at 515-271-1573 for information on supporting the program.
“Our students would love to have you go as faculty on service trips,” Yogesh Shah, M.D., DMU’s associate dean for global health, told AOA conference attendees. “They can learn a lot from your clinical experience.”
Nick Schmit, manager of the DMU Annual Fund and coordinator of DMU’s global health “Sponsor a Student” program, thanks Jeff Bulson, D.O.’85, for becoming the first DMU graduate to donate to the program. Sponsor gifts cover the costs of airfare, food and accommodations – typically $2,000 – for a student on a week-long global health trip.
Practitioners needed for Guatemala service trip
A team of 10 DMU students plans to participate in medical service in Guatemala June 12-20, and they need four to six health care providers to join them.
A partnership with Rocky Vista University in Colorado, the trip is being organized by the DMU student chapter of DOCARE International, a team-based medical outreach organization dedicated to providing health care to indigent and isolated people in remote areas around the world.
To learn more about the trip, e-mail the DMU global health office at either Yogesh.Shah@dmu.edu or Chris.Catrenich@dmu.edu.
