Alternative Break Programs

Alternative Winter Break (Academic Year 2018-2019)

The LCC's Alternative Winter and Spring Break programs provide hands on health care experience for students. During these programs, students will travel to one of six international locations to enhance student knowledge and skills about providing health care in resource poor countries.

Faculty Course Coordinator

Helen Baker
Senior Clinical Instructor
Coordinator, Global and Community Engagement
helen.baker@emory.edu
404.727.2157

Alternative Winter Break (Academic Year 2018-2019)

*Please note site locations can vary by year based on safety and security, and faculty leaders*

Montego Bay, Jamaica

Dates: Winter Break 2019
Eligibility: BSN Seniors and AMSN Students
Program contact: Ann Horigan, ann.e.horigan@emory.edu
Program Description: The service learning trip to Montego Bay, Jamaica is designed to enhance student knowledge about working in a resource poor country, public health principles and foster interest in global health services. In partnership with Cornwell Regional Hospital and Jamaica Ministry of Health, students and faculty will engage in health promotion and primary/secondary level of prevention efforts. The team will serve Montego Bay residents in the basic school, School for the Deaf and local orphanages. Two local churches will host a screening clinic located in the heart of Montego Bay and the rural hill area.

Grady Hospital, Atlanta, GA, USA

Dates: Winter and Spring Break - January 2019/March 2019
Eligibility: BSN Seniors and AMSN Students
Program contact: Lauren Kasper, lauren.e.kasper@emory.edu
Program Description: Grady immersion will strengthen students’ clinical skills while also developing an understanding of healthcare disparities, even within large metropolitan areas. The students will work primarily with undocumented and/or uninsured ESRD patients receiving dialysis treatments through the Grady emergency department. Additionally, they will have the opportunity to volunteer with other Atlanta non-profit organizations serving low-resource patients.

Alternative Winter Break (Academic Year 2018-2019)

The Bahamas

*Please note site locations can vary by year based on safety and security, and faculty leaders*

Date: Spring Break - March 2019
Program Contact: Caroline Coburn, ccoburn@emory.edu
Eligibility: BSN Seniors and AMSN Students
Program Description: The group traveling to the Bahamas collaborates with local clinics and schools to provide healthcare and education. Because of Emory’s long relationship with our partners in the Bahamas, we also have the opportunity to participate in a variety of local activities. Students in the clinics will work with the local nurses and physicians to provide direct care. In the schools, students create educational presentations under the guidance of local teachers, and often have found creative and rewarding ways to address health education needs for primary, middle, and high school-age students. During the week, each student will have both clinic and school experience, and will gain insight into the challenges of healthcare delivery in an underserved region.

Indian Health Services

Dates: Spring Break - March 2019
Eligibility: BSN Seniors and AMSN students.
Program Contact: Helen Baker, helen.baker@emory.edu
Program Description: During this trip students will gain in-depth understanding of evidence-based prevention, screening, harm reduction, and treatment for individuals with substance use disorders in rural and urban areas in the U.S., with a focus on Native American health. The students will volunteer with nurses, physicians, pharmacists, social workers, councilors, and allied professionals at the Chapa-De Indian Health Services in Auburn, California. They will also learn about harm reduction services in Sacramento. Activities will include observation of screening, harm reduction, and treatment for individuals with substance abuse disorders, developing a lesson plan and working with Chapa-De to lead a weekly stabilization group, and conversations with individuals with substance use disorders. There are also other potential opportunities for activities and projects depending on interest and need of the students and the organizations.

Kingston, Jamaica

Dates: Spring Break – March 2019
Eligibility: BSN Seniors and AMSN Students
Program Contact: Jeannie Rodriguez, jeannie.rodriguez@emory.edu
Program Description: The group traveling to Kingston, Jamaica will be working in six residential centers directed by the Missionaries of the Poor (a Catholic order), caring for more than 400 people. The program provides basic and tertiary care to children with perinatal birth injury and related co-morbidities (such as seizures and Cerebral Palsy) as well as children with severe chromosomal deformities and significant intellectual disabilities. Nursing students will provide care to the homeless, HIV positive adults and mentally and physically ill people. Wound care and assistance with activities of daily living are also embedded in the work done with both children and adults. This experience enhances student knowledge about working in faith-based environments; and fosters enhanced interest in global health service. Additionally, NHWSN faculty members provide technical assistance that strengthens the community-based organization’s health-related services, and its relationship with the Jamaican Ministry of Health. The group will also tour the Kingston Public Hospital and the Victoria Jubilee Hospital, a maternity hospital.

Santo, Haiti

Dates: Spring Break - March 2019
Eligibility: BSN Seniors and AMSN Students
Program Contact: Patricia Moreland, patricia.jean.moreland@emory.edu
Program Description: The group will travel directly to Santo, Haiti where students will work directly under the supervision of the faculty and on site physicians in the community on various health projects. This experience is fostered through a partnership with Foundation for Peace. Foundation for Peace is a well-established organization that supports schools, water purification facilities, churches and medical clinics within the Haitian rural communities.

Grady

Dates: Winter and Spring Break – January 2019/March 2019
Eligibility: BSN Seniors and AMSN Students
Program contact: Lauren Kasper, lauren.e.kasper@emory.edu
Program Description: Grady immersion will strengthen students’ clinical skills while also developing an understanding of healthcare disparities, even within large metropolitan areas. The students will work primarily with undocumented and/or uninsured ESRD patients receiving dialysis treatments through the Grady emergency department. Additionally, they will have the opportunity to volunteer with other Atlanta non-profit organizations serving low-resource patients.

A typical mission day includes community outreach, relationship building, and health education to 600 to 1,000 patients a day, usually in rural communities.

Trip Expenses

Total Cost of Trip for Accepted Students include:

  • Includes: airfare, lodging, transportation, and meals at the destination
  • Does not include transportation to/from Atlanta airport, meals at airports, additional luggage fees, country entry taxes.
  • Does not include special food cost due to dietary restrictions or allergies

Trip cost varies by site

Course Credit / Presentations

N480 is a spring elective course offering 2 credit hours. Clinical hours vary per site. (Travel occurs during either winter or spring break.)

All students who participate in an alternative break program present their service learning experience as a group upon conclusion of travel.

How to Apply

The Lillian Carter Center for Global Health & Social Responsibility is not accepting applications at this time.

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