Why did you decide to become an intern?: Being able to combine both my passions with a job has always been a dream. Having the opportunity to do that with MEDLIFE seemed more than ideal!
What was your first impression of Lima?: Having spent 2 years living in Hong Kong I couldn’t help but keep comparing it to there! It was more built up than I had expected and so much bigger than Hong Kong.
My favorite part so far: My favourite part has been meeting my new colegues and my first trip into the hills. It was so special meeting some of the girls MEDLIFE have helped, I had so much fun hanging out with them and getting to see their lives.
Name: Aaron Sanfield
Hometown: Ann Arbor, Michigan
School: University of Michigan
Major: History/Pre-health
How I got involved with MEDLIFE:I became involved with MEDLIFE after a friend from home, Melanie Askari, transferred to the University of Michigan from the University of Vermont. MEDLIFE had a chapter at UV and she said that she wanted to start a chapter here at U of M and asked if I wanted to be a part of creating the best global health organization on campus. She made me an offer I couldn’t refuse
Why did you decide to become an intern?: When I visited Lima for the first time last spring, 10 days was just not long enough and I really enjoy living abroad so I decided the only way to experience Lima organically was to apply and work for the organization that really kick-started my love of helping those less fortunate and showing others how “caring is cool,” a quote I learned from the MEDLIFE Tanzania director, Terry Mulligan.
Name: Tom Stephens
Hometown: Hertford, UK
School: Leeds College of Art
Major: Digital Film, Games & Animation
How I got involved with MEDLIFE: My house mate from Leeds introduced me to the charity, we saw MEDLIFE as an opportunity to travel the world while helping the poorest communities in South America. We both applied for the media internship hoping to travel together. We were delighted when we both received an invitation to work for the charity.
Tell us a little about yourself: I would consider myself an opportunist with a passion for adventure and exploration. Kind hearted, openminded and spontaneous I am always seeking new experiences and memories to tell my grandchildren. I am a budding documentary filmmaker with a devotion to representative film. In my free time I feel most comfortable gliding through the air, whether that be on a skateboard, or a bicycle. I hope to leave a mark on the world, in changing the shift of inequality that is embedded in our planet.
Name: Hima Patel
Hometown:Germantown, Maryland, USA
School: University of Maryland
Major:Behavioral and Community Health
How I got involved with MEDLIFE:I volunteered in a MEDLIFE volunteer trip to Lima, Peru in 2012 when a few friends of mine asked me to come with them over the summer. After the fantastic experience, I got involved with the MEDLIFE chapter on the UMD campus so that I could continue helping this wonderful cause.
Why did you decide to become an intern?: At my first volunteer trip, I realized the importance of public health work to an entire community, and as a Public Health major, I wanted to continue gaining experience working with communities to enact a positive health change. I also wanted to further my involvement with MEDLIFE while gaining insight on how such an organization runs.
Name: Dileep Mandali
Hometown: Naperville, IL
School: The Ohio State University
Major: Biochemistry and Biology
How I got involved with MEDLIFE: I became involved with MEDLIFE my sophomore year of college back in 2011, when my ‘Big’ in my medical fraternity persuaded me along with few other members to travel with an OSU group to Riobamba, Ecuador; I stuck with this chapter ever since then as an active member, as the Membership Director, and as the President this past year.
Tell us a little about yourself: I grew up in India for nearly half of my life and moved to US at a time when I barely spoke English. Through some ups and downs, I eventually became a US citizen, now aspiring to become a physician. While the life of a double-major does keep me busy, you can frequently find me speed-walking from a meeting to another meeting as a (primary) leader for more than one student organization on campus.
Name: Alex Troyer
Hometown: Sammamish, Washington
School: Eastern Washington University
Major: Therapeutic Recreation with an Emphasis in Leadership
How I got involved with MEDLIFE:At my university we don’t have a chapter, so this is the first time I have ever been involved with MEDLIFE. I learned about the organization when I was reading a local Peruvian blog and was hooked from reading just one article. And now I am an Intern!
Tell us a little about yourself: I consider myself to be an open minded and adventurous individual. I love trying new things- food, activities, places or whatever. I look for potential positive change in any given situation and try to encourage people to think critically.
Why did you decide to become an intern?: One of my values in life is to volunteer whenever possible. I did not have any summer plans, so what could possibly be better than volunteering in a country I love, with an amazing organization, for people in need.
This trip motivated me more to pursue a career in the healthcare field so that I can use my resources to help those who need it the most, similar to MEDLIFE’s mission.
Victoria DiCanio
University of Connecticut
It was most enjoyable to finish the hard work and see how big a difference a group of individuals can make. It was such an amazing experience.
Anita Woo
University of Toronto
I enjoyed the mobile clinics the most, especially the dental and triage portions. I would definitely recommend a MEDLIFE trip, it was a great experience.
David Saff
Maclay High School
The most enjoyable part of my trip was hanging out with the amazing group of kids I was with. I would highly recommend a MEDLIFE volunteer trip to others.
Sydney Sansone
Nova Southeastern University
This trip made everything that I was learning in my public health courses come to life and immersed me in a new culture while also learning about medicine.
Abygail Youmans
College of Charleston
Being involved with MEDLIFE is not like joining another club - its bigger than that. It is about joining a movement that seeks to help change people’s quality of life for forever.
Emi Hofmann
University of Central Florida
Not only was I able to participate in a week long Mobile Clinic, shadowing doctors of all types of specialties including pharmacy, dentistry, gynecology, and more, but I was also able to learn about the culture and visit incredible places.
Julian Takagi-Stewart
University of Toronto
One thing that I really loved about this trip was that MEDLIFE made sure that the volunteers got an understanding of the complexity of issues that lead to underprivileged people in communities outside of the main city
Hannah Van Hofwegen
University of Ottawa
Whether it was basketball with the local kids, assisting the doctors, talking with families, building washrooms, holding babies, or spending time with the people who were on the SLT with me, this was an amazing opportunity that I would do over and over again.
Isabelle Holt
Cornell University
I loved learning about the patients MEDLIFE has followed and how they offer real help to people with chronic/urgent conditions. It is amazing how the organization formed real connections with the communities.
Valerie Lindeborg
Parent
Our family had the privilege of participating in multiple trips with Nick [founder] and his amazing staff. Their expertise made the trips unforgettable while instilling in my boys the fundamentals of good character: selflessness, compassion, and empathy.
Harry Vildibill
University of Georgia
As an aspiring physician, MEDLIFE motivated me to further continue my goal of becoming a doctor. In fact, I enjoyed the Tanzania Service Learning Trip so much that I decided to go on another trip to Cusco, Peru.
Name: Suzanna Kane
Name: Aaron Sanfield
Name: Tom Stephens
Name: Dileep Mandali
