Day 3: Medical Clinic Day 1 - Controlled Chaos

Phoebe and Amanda lead a group team stretch before the clinic day.

The 7G team in their spiffy scrubs. Here we go!

Today acted as the real test for the 7G goers, as it was the first medical clinic of the trip in Mo Cay, Ben Tre province. However, for this clinic day, it served also as another first for the 7G goers: having clinic at two locations in the province. Usually, we stay at just one location. In addition, this was our first time working with the university students (medical, dental, pharmacy, and volunteers). They provided extra support and played a crucial role to carrying out the clinics. For these clinics, we opened our services at 8AM. From word of this free clinic, the line began to form at 4AM, as healthcare is scarce in these rural areas. Some of these patients were receiving health care for the first time.

Waiting since 4AM, the people in the rural areas await the arrival of our 7G goers.

Once word of the free clinic was out, the number of people continued to grow overtime.

The free clinic attracted people from all over the Ben Tre province.

During these clinics, we provided different services for the patients. After waiting in line, the patient was first accounted by the intake team and discussed with the doctor about their chief complaint. After that, the patient then went to the triage team to have their blood pressure taken as well as their glucose and cholesterol levels. From there, based on their needs, the patient then went to dental services, ultrasound/EKG, and/or pharmacy. The matter of the issue became what the patient needed for their health concerns.

Ngan and the university students work together as the intake team to make sure that all patients are treated fairly before coming into the clinics.

Naomi and Amy are part of the triage team working together to take the blood pressure, glucose, and cholesterol levels of the patients.

Dr. Duy consults a patient on her chief complaint, screening for the main issue at hand.

Dr. Phung also consults patients on their chief complaint, making sure they receive the best care possible.

Katrina performs an ultrasound on a patient, checking for any abnormalities of the liver, kidneys, and gall bladder under the supervision of Dr. John Belville (not pictured).

In the midst of the clinics, one of the patients waiting in line had heart failure. Carried in to see our doctors, the patients had an EKG checked to make sure that everything was stable. Under the supervision of Dr. Duy and Dr. Belville, they made sure that the patient was stabilized before being carried off by the ambulance to the nearest hospital.

The patient had heart failure while waiting in line at the clinic; fortunately, there were doctors there to stabilize the situation.

The ambulance came in time to carry the patient to the nearest hospital. 

After that situation, the clinic ran smoothly again with all of the different services. Soon, it was time for us to pack up our supplies and move to the second location at 1pm. Even though it took a significant time to pack up all of the supplies, the 7G goers continued to persevere with the day. The 7G team would first eat lunch before going to the second location.

The 7G team helps pack up the supplies in order to move to the second location. 

For this clinic day, the 7G goers had to walk some of the way, even crossing over a bridge, as the rural path wouldn't support the size of a tour bus.

Making the trek back to the bus, the 7G goers had to carry the medical supplies that wouldn't fit in the supply truck. 

Even with the change in location, the 7G goers are energetic and excited as always.

(From left to right), Alex, Julian, Phoebe, Amanda, and Ben (UCI) brace themselves on the bumpy rural roads. They even buckled their seat beats to avoid flying off their seats.

Along the way to the new location, the 7G team was greeted by flash rain. Even that could not damper the spirit of the 7G team.

At the second location, the 7G team went back to work. After setting up the supplies and materials, the clinic was running again. The university students continued to provide a vital part of our team.

The second location during the first location day. The line for clinic remained just as long (or even longer).

The triage team continue to help the patients with their excellence in service and care.

Catherine, Kevin, and Clara get first-hand experience, acting as dental assistants for the university dentist in her delivery of dental care.

Lindy and Nancy are on sterilization duty. How nice of Nancy to hold up the umbrella while Lindy sterilizes!

All smiles around during clinic day!

(From left to right) Julian, Dean, and Amy continue to see patients during the triage team, collaborating with the university students.

With this smaller location, crowdedness was the norm. Big props to crowd control team for keeping the flow going for the patients.

Originally planned to end at 4pm, the clinic day went on until 8pm. It was the longest clinic day in the history of the medical missions prior to 7G. We started at 8am and ended at 8pm for a total of a twelve-hour clinic shift. Once we were finally done, the 7G team spent the rest of the evening with the university students. It was not just a way for the university students and 7G team to celebrate their crazy clinic day, but it also allowed the formation of a bond between both groups. This was the first time as well in the history of M.E.M.O. As the university students performed for us as well as had games for us, we had lots of fun with them. We even had the chance to have our own 7G members to participate. Overall, it was a day of controlled chaos with fun-filled evening at the end with the university students. Without the university students, our medical clinics would not have run as smoothly. We could not have done it without the help of them and Anh Phúc - the director of the university students. It was a collaboration of teams, working under one cause, under the unity of the community.

With the leftover banh mi sandwiches from dinner, Julian carries them with pride, as Alex, Phoebe, and Amanda are astonished (mostly Alex).

As welcomed guests at the university, the 7G team had a fun-filled evening with the students.

Singing "I'm Yours" by Jason Mraz and "I'll Make a Man out of You" in Mulan, Ben, Alisha, Clara, and Kevin display the talent of the 7G team. The evening was filled with different performances from both groups.

As a part of their festivities, we had a bonfire as celebration for the day. We played games and had an amazing time with the university students. We couldn't have asked for a better group to work with.

At the end of the day, we managed to help approximately 635 people, which breaks the record for the number of people we have helped during clinics in M.E.M.O. history. With the record breaking aside, it was time for the 7G team to get some rest before doing it all over again for day 2 of clinic. All team members definitely slept well that night.

Written by Johnson. All photos were taken by David.