Floating Doctors- Panama

  • Floating Doctors is a non-profit organization committed towards improving healthcare access and establishing sustainable healthcare practices in remote communities off the coast of Panama. It was founded by a medical team who set sail to Haiti to provide relief after the earthquake in 2010. After working in both Haiti and Honduras during these years, the team traveled to Panama, where the vision to implement a permanent healthcare program came to life. Floating Doctors now has an established recurring clinic among over 20 communities in Panama.

    For more information, please visit their website: https://floatingdoctors.com/

  • Over spring break of 2022, a group of first year medical students at UB traveled to Panama with Floating Doctors.

    While there, we traveled via boat to a remote community off of Panama’s coast called Ensenada, and helped to provide free healthcare services and education to those with limited access to basic healthcare needs. We set up mobile clinics where we had the opportunity to learn from and partner with licensed healthcare professionals to help provide both acute and preventative services, as well as emergency and dental care to over 200 adults and children. As Floating Doctors has established long-term presence within several communities throughout Panama, we were also able to provide follow-up visits for those with chronic conditions, such as diabetes and hypertension, as well as obstetrical care. Our roles while there consisted of obtaining vitals signs, including blood pressure, blood glucose, oxygen saturation, height, and weight. We also tested urine samples, administered injections, and obtained a full medical history prior to the patient seeing the physicians. Additionally, we worked alongside the physicians and assisted with minor medical procedures, such as tooth extractions and administering local anesthetics. During our downtime, we were able to explore the beautiful beach of Ensenada. The locals welcomed us into their community and graciously prepared us breakfast, lunch, and dinner each day. At nighttime, we slept in hammocks, played games, got to know the other volunteers and physicians from around the world, and reflected on our special days - sharing memorable moments and interactions with patients that stood out to us most. After a 2-day clinic, we returned to the Floating Doctors Base where we prepared medications and packed bags of supplies for the following weeks of clinics.

  • Volunteer:

    The Global Health Interest Group at the Jacobs School of Medicine has organized several trips in the past few years with Floating Doctors, and we plan to continue to do so. Tentatively, there will be an M2 trip planned over Winter Break 2022 and an M1 trip planned over Spring Break 2023. For more information regarding getting involved with volunteering with Floating Doctors, please visit their website: https://floatingdoctors.com/join-us/volunteer/

    Donate:

    -Directly donate and support their mission of providing sustainable healthcare to underserved communities: https://www.classy.org/give/361542/#!/donation/checkout

    -There are also options to dedicate a gift towards a specific project, such as improving dental health (in which the gift will go towards the cost of toothbrushes, toothpastes, dental examinations, etc). https://www.classy.org/campaign/gift-catalog/c357834

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