The Project

Sites

NPH: Located in Rancho Santa Fe, NPH is an orphanage that cares for some 600 children, provides a healthcare clinic that serves the local indigent population, and offers an inpatient hospice for patients suffering from severe mental and physical disabilities. At this site the HOMBRE team provides a full range of primary medical healthcare.

Los Pinares: Located in one of the poorest areas of Honduras, there are 8 villages in the Pinares service area, only three of which can be accessed by the road. Recently a clinic was built in one of the villages which will strive to serve all 8 villages. In Pinares, we will partner with two other non-profit groups -- Shoulder to Shoulder, Inc. (www.shouldertoshoulder.org) and the Thundermist Health Center. Here, in addition to providing medical care to the people of the surrounding villages, the students and professionals will work on public health projects related to clean water and effective chimney systems.

Public Health

This year HOMBRE has placed a new emphasis on providing health education and conducting healthcare programs that the community can then adopt and sustain. We want to provide a service that benefits the community for the long-term and not just during the weeks of our mission trips. We strive to work closely with and listen to Honduran community to give the local community what it needs the most. Based on surveys taken last year to learn the communities' needs and concern, we are designing several public health programs to implement this year.

Student Preparation

HOMBRE student team members attend classes and seminars designed to educate and prepare them to travel to Honduras.

Global health
All team members are required to take a course on Global Health. This course aims to prepare students to treat patients in cross-cultural situation, and to open their eyes to international healthcare issues and cultural competency. Special focus is put on healthcare and culture in Honduras.

Medical Spanish
Team members also take a Medical Spanish course. Medical Spanish helps students to review and improve Spanish grammar and conversational skills and focuses on medically-related vocabulary and communication.

FCM
In addition, students take a year-long course in the Foundations of Clinical Medicine. Here they learn how to skillfully perform physical exams and effectively interview and treat patients of all ages and backgrounds.