Eighteen student doctors in October traveled to Cotacachi, Ecuador, for the most recent mission trip of the Community and Global Health Department.
The group included 14 second-year and four-first year student doctors.
Dr. Joe Cacioppo, chair of Community and Global Health, has in the past taken teams to Ecuador, but this was Campbell’s first time back since the start of the COVID pandemic.
Traveling to places such as Cumbas Conde and Urcuqui, the Campbell group saw 542 patients, offering eye exams and providing corrective lenses where needed. The team spent two days in clinic while in Cotachachi and two days while in the other towns.
Overall, the group distributed 114 pairs of eyeglasses.
They also demonstrated the healing powers of osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) and helped to diagnose chronic conditions, for example. The group, composed of medical school student doctors, faculty and staff, screened patients for hypertension and diabetes, set up a pharmacy and distributed medications, all the while bonding, caring for and praying with patients, residents and interpreters.
The group, oftentimes met by residents with smiles and laughter, got to experience the local culture, which included a plethora of fruit juices and guinea pig, a traditional Ecuadoran food staple. When not in clinic, the Campbell students explored Cotacachi, finding coffee shops and shopping.
The group also visited the Middle of the World, a touristy area in Quito on the equator. The attraction includes the Monument to the Equator, a 30-meter-tall structure showcasing the exact location of the Equator, for which the country is named.
“All of the students grew a lot in their knowledge of medicine and patient care in just one week,” said Kristin Johnson, administrative director, Community and Global Health.
Upcoming planned mission trips include Guatemala, Dec. 12-19; Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, March 13-20; and Getongoroma, Kenya, May 29-June 12, 2027.
Watch a video of the Ecuador mission trip here.