Monday, July 20, 2009

Global Health - Monday July 20th

1. What are some of the more common illnesses in developing nations? How do doctors and other health care workers try to tackle these illnesses in such resource-limited areas?

2. What did you learn about AIDS in the developing world? What are we doing to try to prevent or treat AIDS?

3. Can you see yourself becoming involved in overseas medical care? Why or why not?

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

3. when i imagine myself pursuing a career in the medical field, one of the first things that comes to mind is becoming involved overseas. i've always wanted to travel, and i find happiness in helping others, and so to combine those two aspects with my desire to become a doctor sounds incredibly fulfilling.

A.Quigley said...

Just as Won said, I too could imagine myself going overseas to assist in administering healthcare there. I always thought it would be valuable a. to see nations who are not as well off as we are and b. to throw myself completely into a new language, culture, etc. I feel it would be a valuable and rewarding experience on both ends.

Arushi Gandhi said...

I could definitely see myself going overseas to help with the healthcare systems there. I love learning about new cultures, and I would really love to help in third world countries. The only place I have really seen poverty is in India, and even there I was moved by how little others in the world have. I can't even imagine the state of poverty in areas such as those in Africa.

Jackson Taylor said...

It really surprised me at the differences between our more common killers and those of the developing nations. Even troubles that we no longer feel compelled to consider as a threat turned out to be serious causes of death in third-world countries. Doctors attempt to control these diseases and issues by providing basic necessities first and educating people there about how to better avoid these problems and take preventative measures.

I can definately see myself being involved in overseas medical care. I know it is important to help people here, but I also find it not only rewarding but especially crucial that we take the blessings that we have as more priveliged people to give back and help mend the brokeness in countries in dire need of simple medical care that they cannot provide and therefore cannot thrive overall.

Rachel said...

Common illnesses in developing countries include Malaria, HIV/AIDS, Diarreal conditions, malnutrition, heart disease, respiratory disease (specifically emphysema), etc.

While AIDS is a huge concern in developing countries, the United States Vertical method of donating $15 billion towards the treatment and prevention of AIDS might not be the best approach. Rather, the United States should spend atleast $10 billion of that money to proper sanitation, for many of the diseases origin is the bad water supply.

By using a horizontal approach that considers all the needs of a community, we can insure more effective treatment. Things as simple as 80 cent vaccines and clean water can save a tremendous number of lives.

I would love to eventually go overseas. My dad has gone to Nicaragua with The Rainbow Network and performed cataract and other types of eye surgery. I was particularly interested in Dr. Tarpley's program; instead of actually performing surgery, he "coaches" the physicians in Africa.

Parker Davis said...

I have always felt the need to care for those less fortunate than I am and to combine my desire to become a physician with this desire to help others. I feel that practicing medicine with less advanced equipment and under more unstable conditions would be a powerful way of both growing as a physician, by means of the further testing of one's skills, and also as a person.

Maddie Graham said...

As we each enter into the field of medicine, I believe one of the largest draws is that you really get a sense of helping people and truly having an impact on their lives. And there is something about going overseas to a country who does not quite take for granted the medical care that multiplies the feeling of caring for someone.

Sarah McClure said...

Originally when I planned in pursuing a career in medecine, I didn't see myself in Africa or a foreign country. However, yesterday's presentation was enlightening. I thought it was cool how you don't have to be a top surgeon to help out where you are needed. The saddest thing to me was that some of the most common reasons of death in developing nations are problems that are non-existant in the United States. It seems so easy to get vaccines and clean water here, but its extremly humbling to realize we are fortunate to even have access to them. My view of medicine changed yesterday and I am glad I was exposed to global health.

Chris said...

Common illnesses in developing nations include malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV. In those nations health care workers try to combat these diseases by setting up stations to provide vaccines and medication, and by attempting to educate the people about how the disease is spread and how to prevent it. To prevent AIDS health care officials try to teach people to have safe sex or practice abstinence. They also try to provide medication. I do not see myself becoming involved in foreign medical care. It requires a very special and selfless person to do that work, and I don't know whether or not that fits into my plans for life. The risks involved with overseas care are enormous, and I don't know if I am willing to expose myself to malaria, TB, or AIDS.

Andrew said...

Well, since I do not believe I will go into the medical field, I probably will not go overseas to administer medical care. However, back when I was still seriously thinking about medicine, I considered doing mission work as a doctor in a different country.

Chloe L. said...

I have always wondered about the possibility of being involved in overseas medical care, but until these presentations, I had never seriously considered it. After hearing how much of an impact was put on the people of Nigeria, Mozambique and Burkina Faso, I was really inspired to want to go to other places around the world and help the people who need help the most, whether it be with malaria, HIV/AIDS or just a common cold.

bryanm41 said...

I could definitely see myself doing medical work overseas, Nations in Africa, for example, are not blessed with the same resources as we are in the United States. Having a trained physician from overseas would benefit these nations greatly. It would be nice to know that I played a role in alleviating the pain that those people are feeling.