Photo By Jerome Martin | A group of students from the New York Times Journeys Program, focused on Public...... read more read more
LIMA, Peru – A group of high school students from the New York Times Journeys Program visited U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 6 (NAMRU-6) recently.
The program is designed to focus on public health and preventive medicine in the Peruvian Andes. During their visit the group toured the bacteriology, parasitology, virology, entomology labs and learned about research activities going on in the animal facility.
“It was truly a unique experience to open our doors to provide an overview of our research objectives to such eager young professionals,” said, Capt. William Howard, commanding officer, NAMRU-6. “I hope at the culmination of their journey through Peru, they emerge with a greater sense and understanding of the complexities of community health.”
The objective of the two-week program:
• Research traditional concepts of sickness and health, or argue the merits and pitfalls of treatments that blend old and new practices.
• Create a blog featuring portraits of people young and old that depicts cross-cultural friendships in the Sacred Valley.
• Analyze the evolving role of the international community in confronting Peru’s health and development challenges and profile the people whose lives have changed because of these new global connections.
According to student Rachel Kuzmishin, “before arriving in Peru, I didn’t know anything about NAMRU-6 or its mission,” she said. “I learned how they study disease and other medical problems our armed forces face, and how they are entrusted to make their jobs safer.”
She and other students thought the entomology department was interesting because of their research on mosquitos and repellants.
“It’s interesting to learn how this research is essential for the future because diseases change over time and new types of repellents need to be constantly made,” said Kuzmishin.
The group were equally surprised to learn how in some instances death from disease can often exceed the number of combat casualties.
Most of the students expressed they want to pursue careers goals in public health, preventive medicine or other health field, some plan on becoming physicians.
“I really want to be a doctor and see patients on a regular basis. Many of the doctors I have shadowed at home and the experiences on this trip has really expanded my future goals,” Kuzmishin said.
| Date Taken: | 06.27.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 07.22.2019 11:24 |
| Story ID: | 332423 |
| Location: | LIMA, PE |
| Web Views: | 264 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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