top of page

What is a Medical Brigade?

           The IIT MEDLIFE chapter is currently what is called an expansion chapter. In order to complete this phase and advance to becoming a full blown nationally recognized chapter, we need to send at least 10 members on a week-long medical brigade to one of the MEDLIFE sites in South America.  A medical brigade, also known as a mobile clinic, is a basic medical clinic that is brought to the poor.  It is staffed by general practitioners and nurses from surrounding areas that speak the language and know the culture.  These clinics are equipped with preventative tests as well as basic laboratory stations with the ability to provide instant results to help physicians make their diagnosis.  The medical brigade is intended to be a source of inspiration for participants to permanently engage in community volunteer work,  pursue a career in global health, apply knowledge gained at the brigade to their intended career goal, and to learn how to actively listen to patients.  As indicated below, the medical brigade is beneficial for students with all intended careers.

During this brigade students will…

• Learn about the healthcare infrastructure in that area and why it is failing
• Learn about a foreign country and its culture through service
• Participate in medical clinics (OBGYN, nursing, general medicine, pediatrics, dentistry)
• Participate in health education workshops (i.e. teaching young children proper hygiene, demonstrating important screening tests)
• Partake in a development project such as building a stair case or classroom where needed
• Below you will find a general itinerary for 1 day at the medical brigade.

 

Below you will find a general itinerary for 1 day at the medical brigade.

6:00am - 6:30am: Breakfast

6:30am - 8:00am: Bus ride to community

8:00am - 9:00am: Set up clinic workstations

9:00am - 2:00pm: Patient visits.  Participants will work at one or two stations each day, depending on the size of the individual Mobile Clinic. The clinic can receive anywhere from 30 to 220 patients per day.
7:00pm - 9:00pm: Group dinner

bottom of page