MEDLIFE Chapter Spotlight: University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

 

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley started their chapter in 2017. From the beginning, they were on the track to success. The very first chapter meeting had 105 people in attendance with about 60 students continuing to attend on a regular basis. They actively volunteer with a local food bank, as well as working with the Salvation Army and an organization called Infinite Love, which focuses on giving support to Oncology patients. 

 

One of their chapter highlights includes hosting a MED Conference through which they raised money for MEDLIFE National projects. The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley MEDLIFE chapter’s vigor and drive to grow, to educate and advocate, is what has created their success story for their first year!

 

We caught up with Chapter President,Tanvi Gupta, to learn more about the success of this brand new chapter! 

 

 

In March of 2016, I traveled to Lima, Peru with MEDLIFE to attend my first volunteer trip. I witnessed the poor living conditions and lack of access to healthcare there, which helped me realize the need for better healthcare globally. Back home, I knew many students also wanted to make a difference on both a local and international level. As a result, I started the MEDLIFE Chapter at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. I truly believe in MEDLIFE’s mission of bringing medicine to impoverished communities, educating people, and constructing developmental projects based on what the communities need. I also really appreciate the dedication and passion that everyone at MEDLIFE displays; it made the process of building a new chapter less difficult. 

 

Before our first general meeting, I reached out to the Presidents of other healthcare-related organizations on campus to help promote our Chapter and spread the word about MEDLIFE. Presenting to other organizations and at campus events allowed us to have 105 members show up to our first meeting! 

 

During our general meetings, we incorporated a “Global Health Trivia” segment to educate members on medical issues, fostering important discussions. We also implemented a “Medical Spanish Phrases of the Day” segment where we have one member teach and explain two phrases commonly used on the volunteer trips.

 

I also established a points system to engage and motivate members. They would receive points for volunteering, fundraising, attending meetings, and wearing their MEDLIFE shirt to events. During each meeting, we included a PowerPoint slide with a list of our top 20 members and their updated points. At the end of the year, we created a “MEDLIFE Scholarship” to award our highest point earners and help them pay for their trip to Peru.

 

This past semester, we planned a volunteer trip and sent 19 members to Cusco, Peru! I am extremely proud of my Executive Board for accomplishing this task in our first year. We also partnered with several organizations on campus to host a Health Professions Conference, bringing in medical school students, nurses, social workers, surgeons, and physicians. 

 

 

This year, I reached out to a local organization called Infinite Love. We collaborated to provide meals to low-income families and the homeless every Friday. This has been one of the most memorable and rewarding experiences for our members and officers this past year.

 

Personally, my most memorable experience with MEDLIFE was the volunteer trip to Lima. The people there lacked access to basic necessities that we, in the United States, take for granted. Knowing I could make a difference in their lives and improve their conditions even slightly solidified my decision to pursue medicine. I am forever grateful to MEDLIFE for the opportunity to volunteer abroad. The trip was an incredible, eye-opening experience!

 

Next year, I really hope to bring medical professionals to our general meetings to discuss important topics such as diabetes or disease prevention. I also want to organize bigger volunteer events for our members with local schools and organizations.

 

I think the main thing to always keep in mind is your members. Make meetings fun and interactive. Ask members what they think about the meetings and events because feedback from members is crucial to improving the Chapter. Also, stay in touch with your MEDLIFE Team Leader and keep them updated. The monthly phone calls with Brittany Cook, our Team Leader, played a huge role in our success this year!