August 2023

WHEN: Aug 21, 2023 – Aug 26, 2023

WHERE: Nicaragua: The community of Villa del Carmen on the country’s west coast and various sectors in and around the northwestern city of Leon. 

WHY: To provide students with clinical experience & research and leadership opportunities, while also contributing to the development of HOLA’s goals.  

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: 

For students to gain clinical experience, and a greater understanding of healthcare systems in the developing world, through the shadowing of Nicaraguan doctors.

Conduct needs-based assessments that will inform the expansion of HOLA’s OB/GYN program.

To fund and participate in various veterinary activities, including a spay/neuter clinic and the shadowing of Nicaraguan veterinarians.  

SUMMARY: 

Students shadowed General Doctors, OBGYNs and a dentist at six different clinics, assisting with vital signs, fetal heart tones and other basic procedures. Students were also able to shadow surgeons in a local operating theatre, observing c-sections, tubal ligations and appendectomies among other procedures. 

Students received additional medical training and lectures from Dr. Travis Barlock - a Denver based Emergency Medicine physician - attending the trip.

Students participated in a spay and wellness clinic in Villa Carmen, funding and assisting on spay / neuters for 49 animals. In tandem with Nicaraguan vets, our volunteers also provided vaccinations, vitamin shots and parasite treatments to over 133 working animals in the rural community of Miramar.

March 2023

WHEN: March 11, 2023 – March 19, 2023

WHERE: Nicaragua: The community of Villa del Carmen on the country’s west coast and various sectors in and around the northwestern city of Leon. 

WHY: To provide students with clinical experience & research and leadership opportunities, while also contributing to the development of HOLA’s goals.  

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: 

For students to gain clinical experience, and a greater understanding of healthcare systems in the developing world, through the shadowing of Nicaraguan doctors.

Conduct needs-based assessments that will inform the expansion of HOLA’s OB/GYN program.

To fund and participate in various veterinary activities, including a spay/neuter clinic and the shadowing of Nicaraguan veterinarians.  

SUMMARY: 

Students shadowed General Doctors, OBGYNs at six different clinics, assisting with vital signs, fetal heart tones and other basic procedures. Students were also able to shadow surgeons in a local operating theatre, observing c-sections, tubal ligations and appendectomies among other procedures. 

Students received additional medical training and lectures from Nic Garcia DO - a HOLA board physician - attending the trip.

In tandem with Nicaraguan vets, our volunteers also provided vaccinations, vitamin shots and parasite treatments to over 125 working animals in the rural community of Miramar.

August 2022

WHAT: Health Outreach for Latin America (HOLA) in partnership with volunteers from the University of Denver.

WHEN: HOLA Summer Volunteer Trip, Aug 20, 2022 – Aug 27, 2022

WHERE: Nicaragua: The community of Villa Guadalupe on the outskirts of Managua and various sectors in and around the northwestern city of Leon. 

WHY: To provide students with clinical experience & research and leadership opportunities, while also contributing to the development of HOLA’s goals.  

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: 

For students to gain clinical experience, and a greater understanding of healthcare systems in the developing world, through the shadowing of Nicaraguan doctors.

Conduct needs-based assessments that will inform the expansion of HOLA’s OB/GYN program and the creation of a new program designed to lower unintended teen pregnancy counts.

To fund and participate in various veterinary activities, including a spay and wellness clinic and the shadowing of Nicaraguan veterinarians.  

SUMMARY: 

Students shadowed General Doctors and OB/GYNs at nine different clinics, assisting with vital signs, fetal heart tones and other basic procedures. Students were also able to shadow surgeons in a local operating theatre, observing c-sections, tubal ligations and appendectomies among other procedures. 

Student-led research identified the communities of Santa Ana, Ante Nor and Miramar as areas that would most benefit from the hiring of a local OB/GYN.

Students participated in a spay and wellness clinic in Villa Guadalupe, funding and assisting on the treatment of 398 animals. In tandem with Nicaraguan vets, our volunteers also provided vaccinations and vitamin shots to over 200 working animals across ten farms in the rural communities surrounding Leon.