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Meet the Interns: Savannah

 Last week, Savannah King journaled about being a Summer Intern in Lima, Peru. Now, here’s some background info on the Georgia native:

78-1Where are you from?

Down south (of the states, that is). Marietta, GA — a big city with a smalltown feel. My grandparents, parents and I all went to the same high school! Now, I’m in school at the University of Georgia. Go Dawgs!

How did you get involved with MEDLIFE?

I came on a Mobile Clinic in March of 2011, spring of my freshman year at UGA. I had been to a few meetings previously, but lacked a passion for the organization. Those eight days in Peru gave me a heart for MEDLIFE and the people we serve. I joined MEDLIFE at UGA’s leadership team as Membership Coordinator and then became the Mobile Clinics Chair in April of 2012. Being on the executive board, I’ve made some great friendships and deepened my dedication to MEDLIFE’s mission.

Why did you decide to become a MEDLIFE intern?

I applied for the MEDLIFE internship because I wanted to do and see more than I could achieve in a week-long clinic. I desired to learn more about MEDLIFE’s internal operations, our patient care and follow-up process, and what we’re doing to address the root causes of the poverty and heath issues in the communities we serve. And while serving the communities as best as possible, I wanted my main goal to be pouring out love and kindness and attention on these people, because they deserve to know that they are cared for, and that they matter.

What was your first impression of Lima?

Lima is incredible. I love that I get to live in what I consider a big, urban city, but still on a residential street with adorable houses and apartments. I love being able to walk to the grocery store, or jump on the bus and get across town in a few minutes. The historical sights and the landscapes here are beautiful, but of course, the most shocking aspect of Lima is the juxtaposition of wealth and poverty.

What do you look forward to most this summer?

I am looking forward to seeing patients from beginning to end and getting to talk with our doctors and staff to learn more about not only medicine, but also how MEDLIFE is run. Honestly, I’m thrilled just with living in this city, making all these new friends and having the experience of living abroad, something some people will never get the opportunity to do in their entire life. I feel so blessed!

Tell us an anecdote from your experience with MEDLIFE thus far:

My favorite moments thus far have been the occasions when patients have made a point to come, kiss my cheek, shake my hand, smile at me and tell me thanks. It reminds me why I’m here and why it’s worth it!

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Hear it From MEDLIFErs

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Reya Seby
Western University

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.