Our brigade at Oregon State University this year will be going to Nicaragua for a 9 day Medical/Public Health Brigade. Medical Brigade volunteers have the opportunity to shadow licensed doctors in medical consultations and assist in a pharmacy under the direction of licensed pharmacists. Each of our partner communities receives a brigade every 3 to 4 months where hundreds of patients are treated and volunteers deliver public health workshops. Between brigades, our in-country team maintains relationships with the communities to provide follow-up and to work with local Community Health Worker (CHW), known as Brigadistas, to empower local leaders to sustain a consistent level of healthcare. Electronic patient records are collected for future visitations and to monitor overall community health trends.

Coming on a medical/dental/public health brigade to Nicaragua, you have the advantage of getting to know where Global Brigades (GB) has recently decided to start work. A nine day brigade includes a tour of the surrounding area, three clinic days, and three public health project implementation days. Through these public health brigade days you will get the unique opportunity to learn about Global Brigades’ sustainable holistic model and how we are attacking the root causes of the majority of symptoms one sees on a medical brigade.