JP's Medical Mission Trip to Guatemala (Recap and Thank You!)

Hi everyone!

I recently returned from my medical mission trip to Antigua, Guatemala, with Operation Walk Pittsburgh, and I wanted to share a little bit about my experience and what we were able to accomplish throughout the week. First, thank you to everyone who supported me and helped make this opportunity possible. I’m incredibly grateful to have been able to take part in this mission as a Walk It Forward Scholar. A record number of students applied this year, and after interviewing, I was fortunate to be among the three chosen from my medical school.

A quick recap of the week:

We arrived in Antigua on Saturday and spent Sunday screening patients to determine who could safely undergo surgery. One patient had to drive 16 hours to get to the hospital!  From Monday through Thursday, our team performed hip and knee replacements for patients (80 joint replacements for 61 patients) who otherwise might not have had access to these procedures. Some of the patients had dealt with joint issues since childhood. Throughout the week, I had the opportunity to scrub into and assist with surgeries, help prepare patients for surgery, participate in community bone and joint health screenings, and learn from the incredible physicians and other healthcare professionals on our team.

On our day off, we had some time off to explore Antigua, try all sorts of great food (the homegrown coffee was my favorite), and hike 5 hours to an active volcano to see it erupt! The dog lives on the volcano and survives off food from tourists and the horse was there in case anyone couldn't keep up with the hike due to altitude sickness (someone in our group wasn't able to handle the altitude).

One thing I realized throughout the week was how valuable experiences like this can be for medical students. Over the past year and a half, I’ve spent so much time studying and preparing for exams that it can sometimes be easy to lose sight of why I wanted to pursue medicine in the first place. Getting to work alongside these physicians, interact with patients, and see the impact of our team's work firsthand was a great reminder. It was especially meaningful to see so many people volunteer their time, skills, and energy to help others.

It is so rewarding it is to be able to use what we know to help others. I still have a long way to go before becoming a physician, but this experience gave me a glimpse of the difference I hope to make throughout my career. It reminded me that medicine is about so much more than what we learn in a classroom, and I hope to carry that perspective with me as I continue through medical school. Beyond everything I learned, I'm also leaving with great memories, new friendships, and a lot of gratitude for everyone who made this experience so special.

I truly cannot thank Operation Walk Pittsburgh and the Walk It Forward Foundation enough for giving me this opportunity. I'm also incredibly grateful to everyone who donated toward my fundraising goal. Your generosity helped make it possible for me to be part of this mission, and I couldn't have done it without you. Finally, thank you to all the surgeons, medical professionals, hospital staff, and volunteers who worked so hard throughout the week. It was inspiring to be part of a team so dedicated to helping others, and I'm fortunate to have had the opportunity to learn from them.

Thank you all again for your generosity, support, and prayers. This is an experience I'll carry with me throughout medical school and beyond!

JP