In 2005, a group of volunteers in various clinical specialties formed a partnership with the community of Peralta, Dominican Republic. In 2010, a similar partnership was formed in Jerusalem, a resettlement community outside of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The mission is to provide manpower, supplies, medications, training and encouragement to communities with the goal of helping these communities become empowered and positioned to offer independent and sustainable care. In addition to clinical work, Rush volunteers have also been involved in development of water purification and distribution, revenue from which supports operations in the partner clinics.
Partnering with local physicians and surgeons, our teams provide much needed surgical services. Specialties include general surgery (90*), orthopedics (70*), urology (60*), pelvic reconstruction (40*), ENT (90*), and plastics (20*). Currently, there are five surgical care trips a year. Residency programs include ENT, orthopedics and urology. *Approximate cases per year.
Dominican Republic:
Azua, a city located approximately two hours northwest of Santo Domingo.
Peralta, a mountain village in the Azua province.
San Juan, a city located approximately three hours northwest of Santo Domingo.
Surgical Trip | Dates | Volunteer Needs |
---|---|---|
Orthopedic | July 1-8, 2023 |
Surgeons, Residents, Scrub Techs, RNs, Medicine Attg/Support, Students |
ENT | November 4-11, 2023 |
Surgeons, Residents, Scrub Techs, RNs, Medicine Attg/Support, Students |
Uro/Gyn | January 6-13, 2024 | Surgeons, Residents, Scrub Techs, RNs, Medicine Attg/Support, Students |
Orthopedic | January 27-February 3, 2024 | RNs |
ENT | March 2-9, 2024 |
Surgeons, Residents, Scrub Techs, RNs, Medicine Attg/Support, Students |
General Surgery | TBD | Surgeons, Residents, Scrub Techs, RNs, Medicine Attg/Support, Students |
Teams are comprised of attending staff, residents, medical students, pharmacists, physical therapists, nurse practitioners, physician’s assistants, psychotherapists, nurses and support staff.
Fourth year medical students can participate in two ways:
Team members are responsible for paying for airfare (varies), trip insurance ($50-$80), and a $1100 logistics fee (which covers lodging, meals, ground transportation, and administrative fees).
Students, residents, nurses, and support staff may be eligible for travel scholarships contingent on the availability of funds. Employees are eligible to apply for partial reimbursement using LEAP funds.
Kerstin Stenson, MD, Professor, Dept. Otorhinolaryngology, Rush Medical College (2016)
Photo by Hague Williams