Campus Connection

[caption id="attachment_13140" align="alignright" width="480" caption="UW-L student Brian Miller, far right, poses with students from a doctor of osteopathy school in Arizona. From left, Ali Abidali, Rishi Patel, Daniel Orosco and Miller."][/caption] A hospital in San Lucas, Guatemala needs new stethoscopes, thermometers, sanitization tools, gloves, gauze — and the list goes on. UW-L Senior Brian Miller volunteered there May 13-June 9. While packing to leave, he couldn’t help but feel that more needed to be done. “I was feeling like I had just gotten there yesterday, and that I had so much left in me with no time left to do it,” he says. “The staff of the hospital treated me like a son and as family, and they deserve to have tools to be able to do their job correctly. Their resources are limited by time, money, and location, but mine are not and I knew I needed to help them out.” Miller, a community health education major, decided to start a fund to help the clinic purchase the supplies they need to take care of the people. Those who want to contribute can do so online or they can contact Miller at miller.bria@uwlax.edu. He is happy to meet with people in person or answer questions via email.

Q & A with Brian Miller:

Q: Why did you decide to volunteer at this hospital? A: Challenging myself to do bigger and better things is something I pride myself on. I tend to learn by trying and failing. I think we all do and it's the key to creating and inventing not only ourselves, but also new ideas. I knew no Spanish when I went there and I think that made my experience better. Not only did I learn Spanish, but I also learned how to communicate through language barriers in high-pressure situations. This world gives all of us so much, so I decided it's time for me to take my talents and strengths and give back to it. Q: What kind of needs did you see? A: I'd say some of the everyday situations I would see were very young mothers with many post natal needs and their children needing vitamins and healthy foods. One of the main things I saw was a lack of education in many of the patients, which was one of the things my clinic addressed. They frequently (2-3 times a week) would give educational presentations in the clinic and work with people to help those who were actually unaware of possible dangers in front of them. One of the biggest problems is there are a lot of people who can't afford to miss work in order to take care of their health, so getting care to those who don't have the ability to make a trip to the hospital is another huge need. Q: What kinds of supplies were missing — what needs were not being met? A: The hospital needs include multivitamins for kids and adults, new blood pressure cuffs, new stethoscopes, scales for children and infants and new thermometers. Basically all of their equipment needed to be updated. They can always use more cotton and any forms of helping them sanitize tools and equipment. From gloves to gauze to sanitizer to help clean, everything would be appreciated to help them give better care for their patients. Q: Why are you so invested in this place/people? Can you describe what it is that made you want to help them so much? A: The staff at my volunteer organization and the staff at my hospital treated me like family, which obviously makes you want to give back. It would be difficult for most people not to get invested with the experience I had. Also, it's something I will never forget and has shaped me for the better as a person. It made me think beyond the borders of just the U.S. I gained a much more global perspective on problems and difficulties we as a human population are facing. They gave me so much so I think it would be selfish of me not to give back to them. Q: Do you want to return and work there again? A: I plan on trying to return over our winter break in December, and if not then, I definitely will be back next summer. It also made me realize I want to take a year off in between undergrad and grad/med school, and help out either in this clinic, or help out one of the local schools teach English and bring more of my talents to this amazing country and these amazing people. Q: What are your future career goals? A: Primary Care Medicine or international medicine and public health. I think I want to help out in the United States with many of the problems we will soon be faced with in our health care system.