MDJunior Global Medical-Mentor Mission

Honduras - Thanksgiving 2014

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Spending this past Thanksgiving break volunteering with MDJunior in Honduras provided me a change of pace from the average holiday. Through the two days of medical camps (clinical) and the two public health days (preventive), volunteers including the Honduran MDJunior youth interacted very closely with the rural Honduran population and understood the health disparities they suffer. As an undergraduate studying public health and Spanish, it was thrilling to apply principles learned in the classroom to the work in Honduras and to see first-hand common illnesses and the roots of health issues.

The intensive days of selfless service not only gave me a sense of purpose and fulfillment, but also the fortune to interact with a dedicated group of volunteers and the opportunity to serve a humble and grateful population. 

Even though we only spent five days in Honduras, the work we accomplished will last beyond that time. A theme that arose during the week was sustainability, and I felt that in many ways, we ensured the lasting health of the people we served. The most significant contribution I feel we made towards sustainability as a team was putting in concrete floors in the homes of two families. By eliminating the dirt floors and replacing them with concrete, we increased hygiene and reduced the chances of the families acquiring parasites. The floors will also hold up to more severe weather, making life more safe and little easier for the families we served. Knowing this, I left Honduras both satisfied and eager to address even more public health challenges still. ​

Urvashi Pandya

UGA '16