951 NW 13th St.3E Boca Raton, FL 33486 (561) 864-0298 info@bicolclinic.org

Volunteer: Jaclyn Klimczak

Volunteer

Bicol Clinic Foundation, Inc.
Philippines, 2013

I had no idea what to expect when I got on the plane and embarked on my trip with the Bicol Clinic Foundation to the other side of the world. You can take classes, and watch documentaries on medical mission trips on what they are about, what you may see and the things that you may do, but nothing compares to the actual experience. I for one have never done a medical mission trip, mind you travel to such a far and remote location to participate in one, and yet I can look back and say that it was one of the best experiences of my life. The Filipino culture and communities are made up of some of the most incredible people that left an impression that I'll carry on with me for the rest of my life. The level of poverty that most of the people live in was eye opening and yet they were incredibly accepting, appreciative and overall just some of the happiest people you will ever meet. We were housed in a small dormitory overlooking the most beautiful bay and Volcano, fed the freshest and most delicious Filipino cuisine (I have never had such delicious Mangos in my life) and made some of the greatest friendships with the students and professionals in our group. The country itself was unbelievable to see and explore, and the excursions that we were taken on from hot and cold springs to hiking a volcano were opportunities many never get to experience in their life. In terms of education, it was probably one of the best clinical experiences, filled with great exposure to the art of medicine, practicing H&P's, creating SOAP notes and developing a flow to treating and taking care of patients. We got to partake in small surgeries and proper wound care, and were taught the art of suturing. The patients that we saw and cared for present with conditions that are far few and in between in the US, and allowed me to take the medical education I have thus far received and gave me a chance to apply it and see it in real clinical situations. I left feeling comfortable taking history and physicals, giving shots, doing small procedures and just getting into the role of being a doctor. Personally this is the best experience one could ask for, especially as a medical student. It makes you think outside of the box and get comfortable relying on your own knowledge and skill set instead of technology and expensive testing. Even outside of the medical aspects, and experiences that we got to partake in that will strengthen our skillset and knowledge, as a person I left with a different perspective. I found a love in not just medicine but global health and look forward to embarking on another opportunity to travel and do a medical mission. Dr. Schuster and his family made the journey that much more incredible, and it was an honor to practice and learn under such an amazing mentor. Best of all this experience makes me really realize how much I love medicine, and how I look forward to what I'll get to do each and everyday in my future career as a physician.

Jaclyn Klimczak
Florida Atlantic University
Medical Student

Want To Join Our Team?

BCF has dispatched more than 150 medical students, in addition to dozens of American and foreign physicians and nurses, to provide care to more than 75,000 patients in the Philippines, Nepal and Haiti, many of whom had never before seen a physician. Our team members also volunteer in orphanages and schools to extend health care to other aspects of life. We’d love for you to be Part of the Start!

Join Our Team
The application and all additional requirements MUST BE SUBMITTED BY January 21 , 2020.

Bicol Clinic Foundation, Inc.
Philippines, 2011

Approaching Buena Vista in the Bicol region of the Philippines is a revelation. As you ride over the crest of a hill from any direction, whether on the back of a trike or on the roof of a Jeepny, you witness a dense forest of coconut trees sitting on the edge of an expansive bay across from the massive and active volcano, Bulusan. Once you get over the beauty of the view, you start to experience the beauty of the people of Bicol. Rural and isolated from the more modern international city of Manila, the people in Bicol are friendly, welcoming and overflowing with joy. Of all of the places I've been fortunate enough to travel to, no place is as beautiful as Bicol in its natural gifts and the personality and character of the people who live there.

Bicol is also the most impoverished place I've ever visited. While people are always happy, tragedy is always lurking around the corner. In Bicol a man is happy to live a simple life that revolves around work and enjoying his family and community. But what if that man's son were to be born with a birth defect. Congenital birth defects are common and are readily treated in the developed world. In Bicol, nobody has health insurance or savings. The way people deal with medical tragedy is to sell everything they can to get money to afford a life saving treatment. They face an impossible choice between selling their means of providing for their family, like their boat, or letting their loved one suffer and possibly die. We hear about these stories in the US as part of the debate for universal health care. In the US there are shocking stories of families forced to declare bankruptcy because they can't afford their medical bills. Eventually they lose their house and all their savings. In the rural areas of the Philippines, the hospital won't provide the health care and hope to collect the money later. If a family can't come up with the money up front for anesthesia, surgical supplies, medicine, hospital stay, they never get the treatment they need. For people in Bicol, this isn't the rare exception, it's the rule.

Throughout the first two years of my medical education I was taught about every disease, and shown the natural history, or the kinds of ways a disease will affect someone if no treatment was ever given. I was told time and again that these are historical examples, and that I would never see the kinds of horrific complications that may occur at the end of a disease because in America we treat common diseases so they never progress to that point. At the end of my 1st and 2nd year of medical school, I went to the Philippines and witnessed daily the exact symptoms I was told nobody has seen in America for half a century.

The work that Dr. Schuster and the Bicol Clinic Foundation have been doing in the Philippines is so vital to the community around the clinic. In the two months I spent there I witnessed simple acts that will prevent medical tragedy for families. We treated a laceration on a man's foot so he won't end up with a chronic infection and require an amputation. We treated countless children with strep throat so they won't be at risk of developing rheumatic fever and developing heart disease later in their life. We were able to provide a few hundred American dollars at a crucial moment to get a woman into the OR for a c-section saving both her and her baby's lives. The opportunity to contribute to the Bicol Clinic foundation is unique because it's a small organization that provides money directly to where it's needed most in a community.

Brian Garnet
University of Miami
Medical Student

Brian Garnet

2010 View Brian' s testimonial