Student Pharmacists Take Part In An Interdisciplinary Mission to Provide God-Centered Primary Care To The Underserved

When an interdisciplinary team comes together with a mutual goal to serve the underserved, great things can happen! In December 2018, Nkiru Okonkwo (PharmD/MSPH Class of 2022), Sarah Lipps (PharmD Class of 2020) and I had the privilege to travel to Highgates, in St. Mary’s Province, Jamaica.

We were a part of an interdisciplinary team. The focus of our mission was to provide God-centered primary care to community members in need. Four free clinics took place over the course of the mission, and we were able to serve 400 people!

“What I learned will stay with me forever. I cannot wait for my next opportunity to serve, wherever and whenever that may be!”

The required care varied from patient-to-patient. We encountered many cases ranging from wound care to a five-year-old boy who was recovering from the measles. Medications such as pain relievers, fever reducers, antibiotics, antifungals, antacids, and vitamins were provided to those in need.

While medical mission trips possess a variety of challenges, these trips can be life changing for both the providers and, more importantly, the patients. Jamaica will always hold a special place in my heart. What I learned will stay with me forever. I cannot wait for my next opportunity to serve, wherever and whenever that may be!

– Chantley Thomas, Rising Fourth Year Student Pharmacist and Student National Pharmaceutical Association President