Pre-medical students from the School of Biomedical Sciences at Trinity Medical Sciences University recently participated in a non-surgical World Pediatrics Speech Therapy workshop at the Helping Hands Centre in St. Vincent. As one of the students, Dhanushan Manoharan, mentioned, “The Helping Hands Centre provides critical services for children with disabilities, including assessments, skills training, and family support.”
Trinity students all said that participating in the workshop was an invaluable opportunity. Hrishikesh Joshi stated, “I learned elements of history taking and information gathering, how to interact with patients and families, how to apply theoretical knowledge for evaluation and analysis, problem-solving, and recommendations for next steps. There were 5 different cases related to cognitive and physiological challenges that I got a chance to witness.”
Another pre-medical student, Mikal de Berry, agreed that the experience was very unique and invaluable for a pre-medical student, “As a participant in the recent WPP field trip, I was incredibly enthused. This event offered a unique opportunity for real-world experience and hands-on interaction with actual patients, a rarity for pre-med students. The fact that I was hand-selected was the initial indicator of the impact and gravity of the mission we were entrusted with—a thought that resonated with me throughout the entire experience.“
Although the experience was non-surgical, the pre-medical students were able to gain valuable insights into several topics that would form the basis of their medical education. Moreover, they were also able to learn how to communicate and listen to patients even when nothing was being said. Mikal stated, “From nutrition to communication lessons for children and parents, every segment provided invaluable insights. My first revelation occurred during the communication lessons, where I discovered that often, it is the parents who face greater challenges than the children. Even when some children remained silent, they communicated in their own way, emphasizing the importance for parents to recognize the potential for meaningful connections beyond verbal communication. As a parent myself, this realization holds profound significance, acknowledging that the most crucial communication is often non-verbal.”
Dhanushan also reflected on the importance of the workshop and stated, “Visiting the Helping Hands Centre showed me firsthand the critical difference early intervention services can make for kids with disabilities. The individualized assessments, educational plans, and skills training pave the way for these children to have brighter futures. Just as importantly, the centre provides a compassionate community for families facing major challenges.”
What World Pediatrics Is About
Since 2001, World Pediatrics, formerly known as the World Pediatric Project, has provided thousands of children with access to lifesaving and life-changing care, facilitated training for hundreds of local healthcare workers across disciplines, and worked with governments and hospitals to develop system capacity, and resources and advocate for health policies.
World Pediatrics conducts ten medical missions in St. Vincent and the Grenadines every year. The list includes general surgery and neo-natal clinics in January; ophthalmology and plastic surgery in February; physical therapy between February and March; cardiology in March; orthopedics in April; neurosurgery in June; and urology in September or October. The final mission is a second orthopedic trip specifically to address scoliosis and spinal fusion.
In recent news, World Pediatrics acquired Atlanta-based Childspring International, another nonprofit organization that is dedicated to providing medical care to children in developing countries.
Giving Back with World Pediatrics
Trinity School of Medicine and the World Pediatrics have a long-standing partnership. Their mission of building a brighter future for local, regional, and international children affords our medical students exceptional training before residency. Moreover, it gives students the opportunity to give back to our local community by providing them with healthcare services.
The students and faculty alike enjoy the breadth of knowledge, experience, and specialties that visit the island. Students frequently remark on the benefit of exposure to areas they hadn’t previously considered for elective clinicals or residency. These missions further broaden their experience and sense of opportunity post-graduation.
Check out these videos from past WP collaborations!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nN2tAkxwTaU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuL_Cgfygvo
https://studio.youtube.com/video/4EjlViRoBmo/edit
