Each year, MEDICO sponsors five to seven field teams to provide free medical care to people in Honduras. Each team consists of 16 - 22 participants, including dentists, dental assistants, physicians, physician assistants, nurses, nurse practitioners, optometrists, optometric technicians, pharmacists, a health educator and other medical professionals. Teams also include Spanish interpreters and lay volunteers. Team members are unpaid and travel at their own expense.

Most members travel from their home cities to Houston on the day of departure and take the same Continental Airlines flight to Honduras. Each group has two team leaders, who coordinate all activities. Upon arrival, the team often times will spend the night in a hotel in the city or enroute to the worksite depending on the distance needed to travel.

The next day, the team completes their travel to the worksite. Work locations are chosen by the host organization. These organizations provide local support, such as transportation, security, and arrangements for food and lodging.

MEDICO ships 15-20 crates of equipment and medicines with each field team. MEDICO obtains these items through financial contributions and direct donations of medicines and supplies. MEDICO asks team members to take only one piece of checked luggage each so the crates can be shipped with the team. On arrival in the village, team members unpack the crates and set up the medical, dental, and eye clinics.

Since medical care is not readily available to local residents, word spreads quickly and people begin to form queues even before the clinics open. During the day, physicians deal with respiratory infections, parasitic diseases, skin diseases, malnutrition, and chronic aches and pains. Optometrists examine patients and provide corrective eye wear. Dentists provide restorations, cleanings, fluoride treatments, and extractions. 

The health educator coordinates classes for the people of the communities MEDICO serves.  A community assessment is done prior to the trip to determine what format and topics to present that best meet the needs of the community, such as dental education, health and hygiene education, and maternal/child education. MEDICO has numerous teaching materials available for the health educator and volunteers to use for the classes. 

Nonmedical volunteers in the dental area help scrub instruments, hold flashlights, and assist dentists. Volunteers in the medical area help package and dispense medicines. They may also assist in cleaning and dressing minor wounds. Volunteers in the optometric area sort through donated eyeglasses to help find those appropriate for the patient, as well as fitting, cleaning, and dispensing. Lay volunteers may also rotate between areas. Translators may work in any of the clinic areas and may be assigned to translate for medical staff.

Volunteers eat, sleep, and work in the village they serve. Local cooks prepare the meals, which consist of beans, rice, tortillas, eggs, vegetables, fruit, and chicken. Often, teams stay overnight in schools or churches on sleeping pads provided by MEDICO. Occasionally, team members stay in a home.

Although the conditions are primitive, volunteers experience a new kind of satisfaction. Local residents, who have so little, appreciate the help they receive. A pair of glasses, a filling, or medicine for an infection can make all the difference. Volunteers can see the results of their work. And team members become close to each other in a way that could not happen in their ordinary lives.

To apply for a trip, visit Application, review the information, and complete the online form. Medical field teams are open to anyone, if space is available. See Calendar, FAQs, and For Professionals for more information.