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Meharry Medical College + International Mission Trips

Visited Locations (4)

Countries: Belize, Ghana, Haiti, Jamaica

Months of Travel: Spring and Summer months

Year Initiated: 2013

Total Yearly Outreach Participants: 2 per academic year

Matriculants per class: ~105 per classification

Medical School Involvement: Undergrad

Other participating professional schools:

School of Medicine and School of Dentistry

Faculty and staffing:

Daphne Ferguson-Young, DDS, and Sanika Chirwa, M.D., Ph.D.

Application process:


1. Submit a proposal to the Office of the Dean detailing the purpose of the trip. The proposal should include the dates and location of travel.

2. The Office of the Dean of the traveler’s school shall submit, in writing, their approval along with an International Externship Agreement or a Memorandum of Agreement between Meharry and the Affiliate to the Office of General Counsel. Additionally, written approval from the President along with the President’s signature on the Authorization Travel Form shall be submitted. The Agreement shall include the purpose for providing the supervised practical and clinical experiences, effective dates of the Agreement and include the specific responsibilities of MMC, the affiliate and any mutual responsibility, if applicable.

3. In addition to the Agreement, the following information should be forwarded to the Office of General Counsel:
The number of student participating;
The number of faculty members participating;
How many times students/faculty will travel to the location during the academic year;
Whether participating students are also Meharry employees;
Whether students will receive a salary, if so, how much;
Where the group will reside (i.e. hotel, college campus, private home) and address for the international location; Written verification that all insured persons will be accommodated and working behind gated compounds with on-site security; If services performed are not within a gated secure compound, a written verification confirming armed security will be present with group while working at non-secured sites; Written verification that all transportation will be provided by local national drivers). Travelers are not permitted/covered as international drivers; Written notification of distance between residential site and external work site; and an evacuation plan.

Program elements:

Through personal funds and donations, these students were able to amass over 100 newborn onesies, baby bottles, diapers, dental hygiene kits, iodine, chlorahexadine, surgical equipment, syringes, blood pressure cuffs, n95 masks, absorbent pads, gloves, gauze, glucose kits, etc., for the hospital and toys for the orphanage. While there, each student worked closely with a local attending in their expressed specialty of interest seeing patients and providing care.

Financial support:

Personal funds and donations

Faculty time allotted:

Varies by staff member and role

Administrative support:

Institutionally provided administrative support



NGO/In Country Partners