Written by John Finn 330-263-2145 Email Story | Print Story

August 29, 2003

Robyn Hale comforts a mother and her child following delivery at a clinic in Mexico.

Hale, a senior biochemistry/molecular biology major at The College of Wooster, weathered the unusual menu selections along with the oppressively warm weather and the less-than-posh living conditions so that she could assist at clinics in Monterrey and Galeana through an Medical Humanitarian internship arranged through Wooster’s pre-health program and supported by the Lilly Project for the Exploration of Vocation.

“It was the most amazing two weeks of my life,” she said. “It affirmed my desire to go into pediatric medicine and to serve in the mission field.”

Hale had an opportunity to observe a variety of medical procedures at clinics throughout the region and even had a chance to become involved in a minor surgical procedure. “The highlight was having a chance to do surgery,” she said, “It was very exciting.”

Hale’s educational excursion was filled with enlightening and unusual lessons, particularly her exposure to the non-traditional side of medicine. “We observed some strange rituals,” she said. “There is one in which people wave an egg around their head three times and then crack it on top of their scalp to rid themselves of mal de ojo (the belief that someone wishes to bring harm to another — making that person feel sick or nauseous — by giving them the evil eye),” she said. “It was really interesting to see how cultural traditions and religious beliefs have become part of medical treatment.”

Sharing similar experiences were senior Elaine Morgan and sophomore Susan McDowell, who were paired with a group in Belize, a country in Central America. The two had an opportunity to work at various clinics and to help restore a large medical facility ravaged by a hurricane three years ago.

One of the biggest adjustments for the Wooster trio of volunteers was getting used to the laid-back culture in Mexico. “We learned to go with the flow,” said Morgan. “We had a lot of energy, but we found the pace much slower. It was not unusual for people to be 30 minutes or even an hour behind schedule.”

The most frightening incident took place when a car carrying Morgan and others to a clinic struck a young boy. “Actually, the boy walked into the side of our vehicle,” said Morgan. “It was very scary. He suffered a broken leg, and the police wound up putting our driver in jail even though it wasn’t his fault.”

Overall, the internships were remarkably successful for the students, who not only survived their adventure but also were profoundly affected by it. “Things went better than expected,” said Thomas Tierney, visiting associate professor of philosophy and political science and advisor of Wooster’s pre-health program. “The students got more hands-on experience than we anticipated. They also seemed to have no problem adjusting to the culture. I was impressed by the way they handled themselves and pleased that their experiences were so positive. All three interns indicated that they plan to continue such volunteer work throughout their careers in medicine.”

For Hale, the internship put everything into perspective. “You come away realizing that these people deserve good medical attention regardless of their economic or social background,” said Hale. “It gave me a heightened sense of the many needs around the world and further convinced me that this is what I want to do.”

For Williams, the experience was life changing. “Seeing such poverty as families living in plywood houses, children infected with worms and malnourished, and orphans crying out for attention opens your eyes to a whole new landscape,” she said. “I will forever carry these experiences with me as I continue to explore my future in the field of medicine.”