DMU students will skip beaches, napping for chance to help others over spring break

29 students, 4 advisors to provide medical care in Honduras

DES MOINES, IA (03/14/2011)(readMedia)-- 29 Des Moines University (DMU) students will spend their spring break next week in Honduras providing medical care to those in need.

"The DMU motto is 'Doing a World of Good,' and it's important for us, as students, to make our difference in the world. Traveling to Honduras allows us to see diseases and medical conditions rarely witnessed here in the U.S. Exposure to this environment is necessary to understanding how economic and cultural differences change the landscape of medicine and impact those stricken with debilitating and often lethal diseases," said Tim Clem, second-year osteopathic medicine student. "Traveling abroad also helps open our eyes and recognize the disparities that exist here at home. Hopefully through this trip we will instill a sense of global compassion as well as local responsibility."

The student group, organized by DMU's global health department, will be seeing patients in Los Limones and Pajarillos. The trip is in conjunction with Global Brigades, a nonprofit group that helps student-led groups visit other countries and offer aid. The DMU team is comprised of students from the osteopathic medicine, podiatric medicine, physician assistant, public health and biomedical sciences programs. They will be accompanied by four DMU graduates to supervise the work.

If the public is able to help, the following items are very much needed:

• Body soap

• Toothpaste

• Toothbrushes

• Band-aids

• Antibiotic creams

• Tylenol, aspirin and Motrin

• Multi-vitamins

You may donate and drop them off at Des Moines University Academic Center, 3440 Grand Ave., in the global health office, Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m. – 4 pm.

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To cover the event, interview students or shoot footage of them packing their travel packs, please call Courtney Tompkins at 515.271.1576.

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Des Moines University is the only private medical school in Iowa, offering graduate-level, professional degree programs in osteopathic medicine, podiatric medicine, physical therapy, physician assistant studies, health care administration and public health. Founded in 1898, the institution offers superior academics in a collaborative environment. DMU students' pass rate on national examinations and board certifications is consistently higher than the national average and the rates at similar institutions.