HOMBRE

VCU’s School of Medicine offers medical students unique experiential learning opportunities through programs like the Honduras Outreach Medical Brigada Relief Effort (HOMBRE). Each year a small group of first-year medical students are selected to work alongside VCU faculty providing medical services and healthcare education to underserved, rural populations in Honduras. HOMBRE team members work in healthcare clinics or on public health projects geared to improve villagers’ quality of life.

Here is what former HOMBRE participants had to say about their experiences:

Vibin Roy, M3

“HOMBRE was one of those amazing experiences one always dreams of having! Not only did we take care of their symptomatic illnesses, we also provided patient education and engineered public health projects such as clean water sanitation and proper smoke ventilation. The people of Honduras were incredibly grateful for our work, however I think we were more grateful for the opportunity to learn from them. HOMBRE affirmed my decision to go into medicine to help those less fortunate and I will always treasure this experience.”

– Vibin Roy, M3

 

Ravinder Brar, M3

“…the most satisfying part of the experience was unexpected—the feeling of competence. The HOMBRE trip actually is what made me realize how much I had learned in my first year that I could apply in the field. I learned even more clinical skills from rotating with a different resident each day. After HOMBRE, I definitely was not worried about standardized patients or working with patients at my preceptors office my second year.”

– Ravinder Brar, M3

Visit the HOMBRE Web site to learn more about how you can help.