Dr. Gustavo Arnao GarcÃa found his motivation to study medicine in his father, rheumatologist and former president of the Peruvian Society of Rheumatology. This example lead Dr. Gustavo to pursue his career of medicine at the Universidad Mayor de San Marcos, the oldest university of the Americas.
The MEDLIFE Mobile Clinics working model is similar to what Dr. Gustavo does at the Peruvian Red Cross, a society he’s been part of since 2011 and which allowed him to become an expert at attenting patients. MEDLIFE relies on local health care practitioners, like Dr. Arnao GarcÃa, to engage best with the communities we work in and give volunteers a valuable learning experience.
Dr. Arnao GarcÃa is one of several doctors who works regularly with MEDLIFE in Lima.
How long have you been working for MEDLIFE?
For almost three years. A professional colleague that used to work for the Peruvian Red Cross asked me if I was interested in working for MEDLIFE. I met the people from the NGO, did some tests, and I’ve been working for MEDLIFE since then.
What experience impacted you the most when working in Mobile Clinics? Any particular case or patient?
I had the opportunity of seeing a case of decompensated diabetes with a patient that had a very deep ulcer in his lower leg. Luckily, with the right treatment and our patient follow up system, the patient got better. This experience was very impactul for me.
What do you enjoy the most in the Mobile Clinics?
MEDLIFE’s work is completely assistance-based and requires a lot of work in the field. Basically you go to places where there’s extreme poverty and help the people that live there. I feel very grateful to help MEDLIFE in their mission.
Dr. Arnao GarcÃa is able to connect and communicate well with patients, as well as the volunteers that assist him. On mobile clinics, he can often be seen seen giving volunteers a hands on lesson in identifying symptoms common to patients around Lima.
