ENT DR trip - last thoughts

After returning home, I realize how exhausted I am - both physically and mentally. In total, our group performed 119 operations and saw almost 500 patients in clinic. The trip was a great success. Personally, I learned a great deal about ENT, the country of the Dominican Republic, and made some lasting friendships. We also had a ton of fun on the trip. I would love to return to the ILAC center one day as an attending physician. It is a great place to come and serve. I feel fortunate to be on a career path that will enable me to go to places like the ILAC.
Some of the patients I met I know I will remember for a long time. Especially the Haitian patients we had. They had immigrated to the DR before the earthquake in search of a better life. The Haitian people, however, were treated as second class citizens in the DR and lived in shanty-towns. Their health status reflected this situation, and it was heartbreaking to see these gentle, poor people.
In conclusion, the ENT sponsored DR trip was a great experience for me. I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to attend, and I resolve to go on future trips as often as I can.