Global REACH
Research, Education and Collaboration in Health

Student Organizations and Announcements

Medical Students Seek Global Impact

The Student Alliance for Global REACH (SAGR) is a group of students committed to expanding opportunities for students to participate in international health-related activities during their training, while at the same time addressing core issues surrounding global health disparities and inequality. This year SAGR has overseen a number of valuable projects.

“Students for Jamaica” traveled to Hagley Gap, Jamaica, during March 2007, where they participated in a basic health care clinic, saw more than 160 patients, donated more than $10,000 in medicine, and built a shelving system for the clinic.

“Health in Action” returned to Rancho al Medio in the Dominican Republic for its fourth year, where students conducted a week-long clinic, served more than 675 patients, provided public health education, and distributed donated multivitamins, medications, soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and formula.

“Project Alajuelita” went to rural Costa Rica with the Foundation for International Medical Relief of Children, where they provided basic health care to children in a primary care setting and carried out community surveying and health education initiatives to improve the overall quality of health in Alajuelita.

“The Quito Project” will return to Ecuador for the third time during the summer of 2007 with an interdisciplinary team of students. Activities will include: a week-long dental clinic, a weekly vision clinic, dispensing of donated essential medicines, and tutoring in math, reading, and writing. In past years, the Quito Project has seen more than 2000 patients, created electronic medical records for all of them, constructed a community bathroom, and constructed a children’s library.

Also during the summer of 2007, a group of medical students will join a team of health professionals on a 9-day trip to Belize. The trip will include in-home screenings, overall family health evaluation, over-the-counter medication distribution and education. In addition, the team will set up field clinics for the provision of basic health care.

In addition to group trips, SAGR has also partnered with the American Medical Student Association’s International Health Task Force, Universities Allied for Essential Medicines, and the International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations. SAGR has coordinated lunchtime seminars, worked to address issues surrounding medical supply redistribution, worked to expand the Spanish speaking courses offered at the medical school, and they are in the process of developing a needs assessment survey of medical students.

For more information on SAGR, contact the Student Alliance for Global REACH executive board at greach_exec @ umich.edu.

Global REACH is a now a member of Global Health Education Consortium (GHEC)! Medical students can obtain their a free membership by doing the following:

1. Visit the GHEC website (www.globalhealth-ec.org)
2. Click on "Join Us"
3. Click on "ISF Student Membership Registration"
4. Complete the online form and submit
5. Alternatively, go directly to the registration form.