AUC students help community in Diabetes and AIDS screening

Hello everyone! I’d like to share with you an article I wrote for The Scope about the recent Health and Wellness Fair last Saturday!

This past Saturday, AUC students volunteered in free public HIV and Diabetes screenings at the Health and Wellness Fair in Carnival Village in St. Maarten. This large event is organized every year by the Lions Club of St. Maarten and many groups including the St. Maarten AIDS Foundation, Diabetes Foundation of St. Maarten, and AUC students participate every year. AUC’s chapter of American Medical Students Association (AMSA) held a workshop to train student volunteers in conducting blood sugar and rapid HIV screening tests and how to work with the patients in preparation for the Health and Wellness Fair. AUC’s chapter of Latino Medical Students Association (LMSA) was also represented at the fair, assisting in Spanish translation, one of the many commonly-spoken languages on the island.

The Caribbean region has the second highest prevalence of AIDS in the world after Africa, and within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, St. Maarten has the highest number of cases per capita, 40 times more prevalent than mainland Holland. Like many other industrialized nations today, St. Maarten also has a rapidly growing prevalence of diabetes. The Health and Wellness Fair is a great opportunity for AUC students to give back to the island community that is hosting us and a great opportunity to practice interview, consultation, and clinical skills for the benefit of the community.

One thing I really love about AUC is how active we are as a student body. We’re not just med students, but individuals who have a passion for helping others, and who can make a difference in people’s lives. I participated in this event last year and had a really wonderful experience conducting free HIV screenings for the community. It feels good seeing the newer generation of AUC students passionate in carrying on this mission.

The wonderful photos in this video are taken by student photographer Nate Soon, and the video was made by Solange Reyner of MEAS. To see Nate’s complete set of photos from this event, please check out my original article at: http://www.aucscope.com/2011/03/auc-students-help-in-diabetes-and-aids-screening/