Articles

Great care must be given in how medical missions are implemented. Insuring that missions achieve maximum benefits is essential.

The following articles examine:

• Long-term effectiveness of short-term missions
• What to expect on a short-term surgical mission
• Medical missions and global health

   

  Long-term effectiveness of short-term missions:

  The Cost of Short-Term Missions, by Jo Ann Van Engen

  Short-Term Medical Missions: Enhancing or Eroding Health?, by Laura Montgomery

  The Perceptions of Short-term Medical Volunteer Work: a Qualitative Study in Guatemala , by Tyler Green, Heidi Green, Jean Scandlyn and Andrew Kestler

  Harm from Drugs in Short-Term Missions: A Review of the Current Medical Literature , by Gregory Seager (Christian Health Service/ http://www.healthservicecorps.org/). November 2009. This article uses studies in AMA, JAMA, WHO, HHS and IOM jounals to list drawbacks of therapeutic drugs in a short-term mission setting. Article has a religious perspective.

  Reflection on Short-Term Medical Missions by a Long-Termer , by Mike Soderling MD, President, The Association of Christian Hospitals and Clinics of Guatemala (Crossnetwork Journal/ http://www.healthservicecorps.org/). August 2006. This article discusses typical problems and complications encountered by STMM’s and how STMM’s can provide service in a more effective way, with a view towards making a long term difference.

  Seven Sins of Humanitarian Medicine, by David R. Welling, James M. Ryan, David G. Burris and Norman M. Rich (World Journal of Surgery). January, 2010. This is a good overview of what to do on a medical mission and how to do it.

  What to expect on a short-term surgical mission:

  Opportunities and Improvisations: A Pediatric Surgeon's Suggestions for Successful Short-Term Surgical Volunteer Work in Resource-Poor Areas , by Donald Meier (World Journal of Surgery). February 2010. An excellent article that provides concrete examples as well as a useful list of "organizations serving as surgical volunteer enablers."

  Surgical mission work: an inside perspective, by Monico Solomon, Jr, BS, CAT (Baylor University Medical Center). This article provides an inside look at surgical mission work abroad including the preparation, supplies, patient population and surgery conditions.

  Global Health and medical missions:

  In Women and Children First (Rotarian) Paul Farmer proves the strong link between maternal wellbeing and child survival, and explains that to improve the lives of mothers and children in the developing world the global health community must focus on “visionary” solutions.

  World's neediest kids suffer in recession, by Marisol Bello (USA TODAY). May, 2009. This article describes how the recession is forcing organizations that provide medical treatment to children in developing countries to scale back medical missions and limit hospital care.

  Doctors Abandoning Poor Nations for Rich Ones. (New York Times) and Fatal Flaw - Doctors on the Move (New England Journal of Medicine) look at the devastating movement of physicians from poor nations to wealthy nations.

  The Financial Crisis and Global Health (Global Health Magazine)--Lindsey Morgan discusses the reductions in pledged aid to the developing world due to the current financial crisis and the repercussions for global health that may ensue.