Dan Galat Orthopedic Surgery Kenya

Transcription

1 Dan Galat Orthopedic Surgery Kenya

2 Di Diane Felter Nurse Practitioner in Philadelphia

3 Sheree Lynch Physician in Honduras

4 What is MedSend? Our Vision We seek a world where individuals will be healed physically and spiritually, while their communities become places of health, prosperity and stability. MedSend is working to enable this transformation of people and cultures around the world through healthcare missions. Our Mission Our mission is to enable healthcare providers to work where they have been called, unencumbered by educational debt, and to monitor their progress in their roles as healthcare providers, teachers and examples.

5 How Does MedSend Help? It offers student loan repayment grants to healthcare professionals who have completed their training and are headed for long term missions service. Grant applications are received from any who are going to serve with a MedSend "Associate." Currently, there are over 50 Associates see a list of them on our website with links to most of their sites.

6 How long does a Medsend grant last? If you receive a MedSend grant, we will make your monthly healthcare related educational loans while you serve. Our standard grant term is up to four years. Grant renewals are generally available for additional terms each up to four years.

7 Who can apply for a grant? Automatically eligible: Physicians (MD & DO), dentists, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and veterinarians. Others healthcare professionals that have received grants: Physical and occupational therapists, pharmacists, dental hygienists, mental health professionals, optometrists, social workers generally these would be working with a healthcare team.

8 What are the requirements? Called to use his or her healthcare training to serve the poor and underserved and spread the gospel. Committed to serving a four year term or at least a twoyear term and open to career service. Within 18 months of leaving for healthcare missions service. Has established a relationship with a MedSend Associate sending agency. Intends to work primarily in healthcare, in work that will include community and public health or health education.

9 What are the requirements? Has experience working among the underserved and poor and intends to serve among the underserved and poor. Has a personal, growing relationship with Jesus Christ and experience communicating this relationship to others. Has been active in a local church. Has demonstrated fiscal responsibility and stewardship maturity. Has demonstrated a missionary lifestyle.

10 What are the requirements? Starts making student loan payments as soon as earning begins, such as during internship or residency or after beginning first job in field. Has completed professional training and licensure requirements, with at least some of the training completed in the U.S. Has educational loans from U.S. lenders.

11 How do I apply? If you meet the above requirements, please fill out a preliminary application on our website, Go to Apply Online in the Resources section of the website. You can also click on Application Process for more detailed information. Our board meets to approve applications three times a year, with deadlines for receipt of completed application of January 15, May 1 and September 1.

12 Students and Missions Many students are not preparing for missions effectively in their course of training This leads to varying levels of preparedness for missions There is no common unified structure for evaluating readiness amongst different Christian organizations serving health care professionals and students This affects both domestic health centers and mission boards looking for qualified, committed, well trained, mature candidates

13 What can I do now? 4 Core Principles 1. Live missionally & sacrificially to further the Kingdom of Christ in this world 2. Learn to be fiscally responsible 3. Become knowledgeable cross culturally 4. Be clinically excellent

14 Core Principle 1: Living missionally & sacrificially Take your faith seriously; not compromising; what we won t do is at least as important (if not more) than what we will do; many students are fervent believers but haven t thought that deep or far ahead Declutter your mind from the surrounding culture and focus on what priorities should be; There are many distractions out there! Understand that ethical and Godly action directed towards others is critical to the maintenance of your own faith think about the Good Samaritan s actions

15 Core Principle 1: Living a missionary lifestyle Buy what you need, not what you want. Missionaries can t afford everything they want, but they can afford what they need. Use things up, wear things out, make things do, or do without. Have a conserver mentality rather than a consumer mentality. Maintain the spiritual discipline of giving to God, but not with borrowed money. Your TIME is a gift you can give right now. Sometimes you can give by self denial giving up a necessity in order to donate money. If you have educational debt, consider limiting your financial giving to a tithe. Focus instead on debtreduction.

16 Core Principle 2: Being fiscally responsible The majority of health professional students are in significant debt Students have learned to adapt to a debt culture This hinders their ability to serve God in the mission field even if they want to The longer students don t go into missions after finishing their training, the harder it is to go

17 Core Principle 2: Being fiscally responsible Borrow with a budget in hand. Do not simply accept the amount the financial aid office tells you that you should borrow. Typically, a person with a restrained lifestyle can live on thousands less than the lenders want them to borrow. The less you borrow, the easier it will be for you to enter full time Christian service

18 Core Principle 2: Being fiscally responsible To minimize educational borrowing, it often makes sense to attend the least expensive U.S. school you can. This may be a private university with an excellent scholarship and financial package or a state school. A conscientious student can get an excellent education many licensed, reputable programs. Always think about repayment. Begin making loan payments even before required as soon as you earn your first dollar if at all possible. Be aware that MedSend grants cover only educational loans related to healthcare training and not consumer credit.

19 Core Principle 3: Being knowledgeable cross culturally Begin to develop a Cultural IQ to be able to relate to the culture you are entering This may be here in the US or somewhere else in the world Taking classes is not enough both domestic and foreign experiences along with directed training focus will build cultural IQ

20 Core Principle 3: Being knowledgeable cross culturally Get involved in ministry through your local church and other Christian organizations, including ministry to the poor in the community you are living. Short term mission experience is important, but one or two of these experiences should be enough to affirm God s call on your life. (Don t borrow money to finance short term mission trips. Money for these trips should be raised from friends and church missions committees.)

21 Core Principle 3: Being knowledgeable cross culturally Attend missions conferences that specifically address healthcare ministry: Global Missions Health Conference: ECHO Health, Agriculture, Culture & Community Course: Read books and articles about global missions (see list on last slide)

22 Core Principle 4: Being clinically excellent Balance preparing for ministry and studying well Clinical excellence leads to a faithful presence of respect toward those you are caring for Being excellent is a Biblical concept we can t be effective if we aren t good at what we do Underserved people do not need healthcare workers that could not do excellent work here at home!

23 Suggested Reading List Western Christians in Global Missions Paul Borthwick Operation World guide for praying for every country in the world Now What? Gary Green a guide to helping college students evaluate their short term mission experience in the context of God's direction for their lives on a broader scale Global Missions Handbook Hoke & Taylor a more comprehensive and exhaustive treatment of preparing for longterm missions In the Company of the Poor: Conversations with Dr. Paul Farmer and Fr. Gustavo Gutierrez Farmer and Gutierrez

24 "And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion towards them, and He healed their sick. Matthew 14:14