A dozen Barry University, Physician Assistant (PA) students traveled to La Victoria, Dominican Republic to provide medical aid and volunteer their services. Students raised more than $2,000 to buy “Ready Relief Boxes,” which contained antibiotics, anti-fungal, and pain medications to take with to the community hospital.
Barry PA students from all three Barry PA locations in Miami, St. Petersburg, and St. Croix treated more than 700 patients this year. Nicole Schtupak, Lian Castillo-Olivera, Theresa Moscato, Gabriela Lopez, Iliana Suero, Daniel Berluti, Nikita Green, Andrea Blaine, Tiffany Defiore, Tamara Collins, Christine Welker, and Amanda Rodriguez joined other Physician Assistants, Nurse Practitioners, and child life specialists in the Caribbean nation.
While on their mission the group received a large amount of donations from the community, which included food, toys, clothing, medications, vitamins, wound care items, as well as other basic needs. Every day of the week, the group opened up a clinic to provide care and counseling from early morning to late in the evening. Some students even made house visits to see those patients and families who otherwise would not have access to medical care.
Barry PAs provided extensive wound care, I&D’s, medical management, routine physicals – for both the adult and pediatric patients – treating a wide variety of viral, bacteria, protozoal, and fungal infections.
“The world needs to learn from the example that the residents of La Victoria emanate,” said Nicole Schtupak, PA-S. “They are incredibly grateful for our visit and welcomed us with such love and warmth, and hospitality; it was truly inspiring. Our experience will never be forgotten; it was humbling and we can’t wait to return.”