THIS TRIP IS FULL
General Description
A group of approximately 26 participants consisting of volunteer students from RVUCOM, health care providers and community volunteers will represent the Hands for Health Foundation and RVUCOM traveling to Guatemala to provide primary health care to people living in the Lake Atitlan region about 3 hours southwest of the capital, Guatemala City.
This Medical Outreach event is credited as an M3/4 Clinical Elective Externship at RVUCOM. The trip is totally coordinated and medically directed by RVU Faculty and Hands for Health Foundation Founder and President, Dr. Camille Bentley.
This trip is divided into 2 parts. The first week is the cultural clinical immersion component, and the second the clinical. Students are expected to participate in both components. The total cost for this 2 week trip is estimated at $2170, not including airfare and any required vaccines. No VISA needed with a US Passport.
Week 1: Students Only
Week of Sunday, Feb 25th through Friday, March 1st 2024
Spanish Immersion: Required for all students participating in this adventure
During the first week, the student volunteers will attend and successfully complete a Medical Spanish Immersion Course while staying in Antigua, Guatemala. The course is offered through Proyecto Linguistico Francisco Marroquin (PLFM located at info@spanishschoolkakaw.com) and consists of 20-40 hours of private one on one instruction and immersion in Medical Spanish. Students are expected to make their own reservations online with the school and participate in a minimum of 4 hours per day of language school. During this time the students will live with families and are provided 3 meals a day. Staying with local families helps to reinforce their language skills while being very cost effective. This component of the trip usually runs about $170 for classes and another $150 for room, board, private bath. You will register and pay directly to the school when appropriate. The school will also offer additional cultural activities in the afternoons for an extra cost, usually $20 each. They are all highly recommended ( salsa dance lessons, coffee plantation, chocolate making and other local tours to nearby towns)
Friday afternoon March 1st . Check in after 3:00 PM into Hotel Casa de las Fuentas, also in Antigua. A few blocka away from the school, you can walk or take a tuktuk.
Week 2: All Participants
Sunday, March 1st through Sunday, March 10th, 2024
“JORNADA” Clinical Outreach (see calendar itinerary below)
This year, the second week of the externship involves medical outreach (JORNADAS) at various towns surrounding Lake Atitlan in the western highlands of Guatemala. The group will be residing in a very safe and comfortable local hotel in Panajachel (PANA), Department of Solola, and is provided breakfast every morning before heading out to work. The group has been invited and preapproved to perform the medical outreach by the MOH and Local Health department of Solala. Community healthcare workers of Solala help to notify and organize the sites for us to work, as well as provide us with water, lunch, and security. The accommodations usually consist of empty classrooms, a community or church center along with tables, chairs, privacy tarps, etc. The sites are a mix of both inner city or quite rural depending on the actual sites requested to work at. Sites can be from 30 minutes to 1.5 hours from the hotel in Pana. Dr. Bentley will decide on which sites tovist, after the invitations are received from Solala. When appropriate, we sometimes also perform free care to our security, interpreters and others who assist us in our work. Dr. Bentley has many contacts in the area who help to set up a team of paid interpreters to work with us while there. There is a schedule of “who does what” during the week, to ensure that students rotate through all, if not most of the areas they are needed to work in.
In the past we have visited many of the towns surrounding the lake and some in the mountains above the lake. We either travel by bus or boat to the towns, then we walk to our destination with all the supplies. Besides medication for our pharmacy area, each site will also have areas for registration, triage, patient care, OMM, lab, research (if any info needs to be gathered) and referrals.
ABOUT HALF THE PEOPLE SPEAK Spanish, the other half speak their indigenous K’iche’, Kaqchikel or Tz’utujil which always proves to be a challenge for our team as well as the Spanish speaking people there. Over the years, Spanish has become more popular, especially with the younger generation.
As for the medical outreach, we will see many children, and over 50% of all patients are female. As more children are in school now, we tend to see more moms, very young children and grandparents. In addition to primary care services our team may provide sunglasses, reading glasses, toothbrushes and toothpastes, soaps and shampoos, lip balm and other hygiene items. This is dependent on giveaways provided by the participants in the group each year. Medical cases are quite varied, with a mix of infectious as well as chronic diseases.
The group will be responsible for the transportation of meds and supplies not purchased in Guatemala to be carried to and from Denver. To assist with this those flying in and out of Denver will be given priority if there are more students than slots available for this trip. Packing for this trip will occur sometime in November, Date TBA.
While on the trip, students will be able expected to demonstrate professionalism, respect and enthusiasm while they hone the following skills:
Perform an appropriate History and a Physical Exam for each patient seen
Demonstrate Excellent Patient rapport and Cultural sensitivity
Successfully work with a translator
Successfully work as part of a team
Perform OPP
Perform minor procedures such as: wound care, injections, I and D abscesses, debride burns
Perform clinical POC diagnostic testing and maintaining a functional lab area.
Prescribe and deliver culturally appropriate medications
Formally present a selected case when requested
Discuss differentials, assessment and plans with their preceptors
Maintain and complete a log of the patients and procedures
Finally, all participants of this trip will be expected to participate in the ZOOM monthly prep meetings held 1 evening a month or as needed. The date for the first meeting will be in August, Date and time TBA. ZOOM invites will be sent out. Judy Simmons, TSP Coordinator in Utah will be the admin for this trip, she can be contacted at jsimmons@rvu.edu.
The 2023 cost of this Part 2 Trip Component is $1850 per person which includes the following:
All transportation once in the city of Antigua. All work site, lunch, water and other governmental fees, all meds and medical supplies used while there, interpreter fees, Hotel rooms double and triple occupancy), daily breakfast, all hotel and transportation/driver fees and tips, group orientation meeting breakfast at the beginning of the clinical week, and the giant dinner celebration at the end. Everyone needs to provide their own Flights to Guatemala City and transport to Antigua ( Taxi, Uber or Private Transport) and have funds to enjoy the many excellent food establishments in both Antigua and Pana, as well as to further add to the economy by buying souvenirs, climbing a volcano and ziplining while there? Info on all this will be provided! (Be sure to look at the pictures on the Hands for Health website)
Guatemala Payment Plan
All money to be paid (via CC or Zelle) directly to www.Handsforhealthfoundation.org or by a check sent directly to: Hands for Health at 24486 E. Canyon Dr., Aurora, CO 80016. Please earmark all payments for “Guatemala 2024”. The refund policy is also listed below. Checks are preferred due to high third party fees and can be dropped off in a sealed envelope marked for Dr. Camille Bentley, Pod B at RVUCOM.
Sept 15th Payment 1 $350 to hold your slot. First come first served.
Oct 15th Payment 2 $500 (Cancellation by Oct 16nd; 90% refund)
Nov 15th Payment 3 $500 (Cancellation by Nov 16nd; 70% refund)
Dec 15th Payment 4 $500 (Cancellation by Dec 16th; 50% refund)
Jan 15th No payment (Cancellation of participant by Jan 16th ; NO refund)
Note: In the event of any Volunteer cancellation, efforts will be made to get another participant to take their place both financially and personally. There is no future travel credit option available at this time.
You may pay for all of it at once, or pay in monthly installments, whatever suits your specific needs the best.
If another person or entity is submitting a payment for you, please be sure that your name on on the payment, or contact Dr. Bentley directly with the information.
Guatemala 2024 Itinerary
There will be six ZOOM prep meetings before departure.
The first will be Tuesday, Aug 22nd 2023 7-8:30 PM MT.
All participants are expected to participate in all meetings.
Domingo, Febrero 25th
Students arrive to Language school/ Families for the week PLFM
Lunas, Febrero 26th
PLFM Estudiantes
Martes, Febrero 27th
PLFM Estudiantes
Meircolas, Febrero 28th
Estudiantes PLFM
Dr. Bentley and Keven arrive
Jueves, Febrero 29th
Estudiantes PLFM
Viernes, Marzo 1st
Estudiantes PLFM
ALL Volunteers check into Hotel Casa de las Fuentas para 2 noches
Sabado, Marzo 2nd
Dia Libre
Orientation 1 at 3 PM
Domingo, Marzo 3rd
8 AM - Breakfast
9:30 AM - Llegar pana visit Iximche
3:00 PM - Check in PDDR
4:00 PM - Orientation #2
Lunas, Marzo 4th
Jornada 1
Martes, Marzo 5th
Jornada 2
Meircolas, Marzo 6th
Jornada 3
Jueves, Marzo 7th
Jornada 4
Viernes, Marzo 8th
Jornada 5
7:30 PM - PDDR Dinner Party
Sabado, Marzo 9 & 10
Llegar para US
or you can stay longer on your own
Times for all preps and Debriefs will depend on actual work hours and return to home base. Locations for these activities are also TBA. Lunch and water are usually provided on 5 Clinic days by Solala HCWs, but I would still bring some of your own snacks.
BTW: Bentley and Meyer will remain in Guate for another few days.
School and Hotel Information:
PLFM Spanish School in Antigua “Proyecto Lingustico Francisco Marroquin”
4 hour minimum, max 8 hours
Contact: Elba Porras at info@spanishschoolkakaw.com
Address: 6a Avenida Norte #43, Antigua Guatemala 03001
Phone: +11-502-7832-1422
Hotel Stay in Antigua: starting March 1st, 2024 (2 nights)
Hotel Name: Hotel Casa de las Fuentes
Website: hotelcasadelasfuentes.com
Contact: Sna. Estela Solano
Address: Casa Número 26, Antigua Guatemala, Avenida El Desengaño, Antigua Guatemala 03001, Guatemala
Phone: +11-502 7832 7316
Note: Breakfast included
Hotel Stay in Panajachel March 3-9th, 2024 (7 nights)
Hotel Name: Posada de Don Rodrigo
Website: posadadedonrodrigo.com
Contact: pana@posadadedonrodrigo.com
Address: Final de Calle Santander Panajachel Lago de Atitlán, Sololá Guatemala Centro America 07010
Phone: +11 (502) 78329858 or +11 (502) 77622326
Note: Breakfast included