15 October 2024

By Nicoleta Michael, South Africa
MD, Class of 2027

On Sunday, 13 October 2024, the Mobile Clinic team embarked on its first expedition of the new academic year by visiting Farmakas village to participate in its annual festival. The festival highlights Farmakas’s agricultural produce and traditional food products.

The volunteers team included 16 medical students under the supervision of Drs Danagra Ikossi and Danny Alon Ellenbogen. They engaged with the community by providing free health screenings for blood pressure and glucose to over 150 festival visitors.

This expedition provided a valuable learning experience for the medical student volunteers, allowing them to apply their clinical and communication skills in a real-world setting. It also exposed the team to various health conditions, such as hypertension and diabetes. Following the screenings, the supervising physicians held a debriefing session to discuss the importance of screening for blood pressure and glucose levels, as well as the role of preventative care.

“As a first-time member of the Mobile Clinic team, I found the experience rewarding. Interacting meaningfully with the local community has been an important goal since I decided to study medicine, and the Mobile Clinic enables us to do exactly that. The people of Farmakas village treated our group in a very kind manner and were extremely welcoming and supportive.”

Youssef Abdalla, United States
GEMD, Class of 2028

“This past Sunday, I had the privilege of joining the Mobile Clinic. Upon our arrival in Farmakas village, the locals greeted us with food and drinks. I am grateful for the opportunity to apply the communication and clinical skills learnt in class. Helping the community was truly a heart-warming experience.”

Angelica Pashou, South Africa
MD, Class of 2027

“I had the opportunity to interact with several patients, measuring their blood sugar levels and taking their blood pressure. Besides enabling me to apply what I have been learning in medical school, this hands-on experience improved my interaction with the patients. I was somehow nervous at the beginning, but with each engagement, my confidence grew.”

Mohammad Emad Husein, Jordan
MD, Class of 2028

This initiative is part of the Mobile Clinic’s ongoing commitment to delivering healthcare services to local communities.