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Mission
Membership Benefits
Mission
The purpose of the Students for MEDLIFE at the University of Arkansas is to support and extend MEDLIFE's mission and all MEDLIFE’s divisions (including Smiles Movement, Safe Homes Movement, and Engaged Education) within the university community, focusing on providing healthcare, education, and safe housing to low-income families globally. It aims to transform volunteering and community engagement through a collaborative and empowering approach, emphasizing listening, analyzing root causes, and educational exchange. The organization is dedicated to raising awareness, fundraising, and mobilizing students for service, fostering an inclusive, action-oriented campus culture, and contributing to a vibrant, engaged, and socially responsible student body.
Membership Benefits What is MEDLIFE? With over 20 years in operation, we are the biggest little organization composed of a team of passionate and inspired global citizens that have come together to create change. We have been brought together by a common drive to work in the service of others, and we will stop at nothing to bring equity to the communities we serve. We have teams in 4 countries, and the vast majority of employees (90%) are locals. Our Movement exists at over 300 academic institutions around the world, and we’re growing every day! MEDLIFE works year-round with our partner communities regardless if students are going on Service-Learning Trips or not. We have had more than a year and a half (During COVID 19) without SLTs and worked with partner communities. Follow-Up Care - This is definitively the most important part of MEDLIFE and what makes us different from many other organizations. Follow-up patient care is often and extensively neglected by the majority of NGO volunteer brigades. Too often brigades will arrive, make a poor surface diagnosis and leave no system or stability in place to actually help their patients. Or even when patients are simply referred to local hospitals for treatments many times they still fail to receive the actual treatment they need due to lack of resources, lack of confidence, or lack of a true understanding of their medical problems. For all of these reasons, MEDLIFE has developed a year-round patient follow-up program. We support our patients in many ways. We provide financial resources for treatments, emotional support, nutritional assistance for malnourished families, development projects, and educational resources to help individuals better understand their conditions. Cultural Understanding - MEDLIFE knows that truly effective care starts with understanding your patient. The majority of MEDLIFE employees are from the host countries and sometimes from the same communities in which we work. Cultural understanding can not be learned overnight. By working hand in hand with local communities and by filling our ranks with people from those very same communities, MEDLIFE continues to ensure understanding of our patients in order to guarantee that the work we do is exactly what they need. Educational Workshops - Typically planned months before MEDLIFE holds a Mobile Clinic in a community, MEDLIFE organize educational workshops to promote preventable health care in the communities where we work as well as a way to understand how well-organized a community is. If a community struggles to get community members to join the talk, there is a good chance that they will also have trouble organizing a mobile clinic or a community development project. If a community struggles to organize an educational workshop with MEDLIFE, that is an indicator that we need to focus on community organizing skills first and foremost. Community Organizing by way of Community Meetings - These meetings are intended to engage the community members in the process of coordinating clinics and development projects. MEDLIFE starts by listening to their needs. As people explain the challenges they face in their communities, we start to understand how we might be able to support them. In many situations the community knows exactly what they want: they might say, “we need a staircase” or “We need a water reservoir.” In those communities, MEDLIFEs job is pretty easy, but other times community members may describe the problems they face and we need to help them find a solution. In addition to listening and understanding the needs of the community, MEDLIFE also evaluates community leadership. Those leaders (called dirigentes in Spanish) are responsible for organizing their communities. They need to be able to motivate and rally their neighbors around common problems (staircases, water, roads, safe school, electricity, etc) if the community isn’t organized they will struggle to organize an educational workshop, mobile clinic, or community project. Dedication to host countries - We chose to have our primary office in Lima, Peru. By maintaining our primary office in the field we see on a daily basis what we're fighting for. We don't get distracted from our mission. We fight harder than anyone else you'll find doing this work, we devote all of our energy, our resources, and time to helping poor families gain better access to Medicine, Education, and Development. The work that MEDLIFE does is always linked to existing systems in each country. We do not want to replicate the doctors from abroad model or medication. The system that exists in each country has gaps which are where MEDLIFE works with our partner communities. If it is healthcare, we do it through the Patient Follow-up program paying for medicine, transportation, and other expenses. If it is for development, we work with the community and local government to map out any projects that they may require to access basic services such as water or electricity. We Keep Volunteers Engaged Year-Round - We encourage all volunteers to continue their MEDLIFE involvement year-round by starting or joining a Chapter on their campus. Once you are a part of the Movement, we hope that you join the long-term fight for a world free from the constraints of poverty. MEDLIFE Chapters can make a difference in MEDLIFEs’ partner communities and their communities by organizing local volunteering activities and partnering with local organizations. We hire heroes - Seriously! They might not be wearing a cape but we assure you they are as much a hero as anyone you have ever read about in a comic book. We look for the most committed staff, people who were working to serve the poor even before MEDLIFE started working with them. Our national directors wear hiking boots to work, their offices are the communities we work in. People like Martha Chicaiza and Carlos Benavides inspire us all to go to greater lengths to serve the poor. There's a reason MEDLIFE hires them to be in charge: we believe in the wisdom of Peruvians fighting to help the poor of Peru, we believe in strong Ecuadorian women leading the fight for better health in the poorest communities of Ecuador. We don't just stand beside the poor, we live among the poor, we fight hand in hand, we build together, we "seguir adelante" together. Founded in Medicine, Forged in the foothills - MEDLIFE's founder is Dr. Nick Ellis and therefore our roots have always been in medical attention. Our programs were not created by an economist who sees people simply as numbers or by a businessman who sees clinics as "market growth". We started with a focus on the individual and although we have grown organizationally, we have never lost sight of our purpose. We exist for that sigh of relief or that faint smile that you see when a patient receives care they so desperately desire and need. So many of our patients have had more doors closed in their face than they dare to count, but MEDLIFE is there to take care of them in their time of need. Morals and Ethics are our foundation - Would you let a 1st year Med Student perform any type of procedure on your family? We didn't think so, and we wouldn't let them do the same to one of our patients. Many NGOs let uncertified participants perform actual procedures on the poor, as if they for some reason should not get the same careful care as someone from a more developed country. We allow participants to shadow doctors and assist while learning but they are never allowed to perform anything that would not be allowed in their home countries. People are people wherever they live and regardless of their economic situation, MEDLIFE chooses to treat them as such. How do MEDLIFE Chapters benefit students? - Joining a MEDLIFE Chapter can be a great way for students to develop a wide range of soft skills that will be valuable in both their personal and professional lives. Here are some ways Chapters can help: - Leadership skills MEDLIFE Chapters often provide opportunities for students to take on leadership roles. Whether it's organizing events or organizing fundraisers, being in charge of a club can help develop skills like decision-making, delegation, and conflict resolution. Communication skills MEDLIFE Chapters involve public speaking or require members to communicate effectively with one another. By participating in Chapters meetings and events, students can learn to express themselves clearly and confidently. - Teamwork Being part of a MEDLIFE Chapter involves working on projects or events with a group of people. By collaborating and sharing ideas, students can develop their teamwork and interpersonal skills. - Time management Joining a MEDLIFE Chapter requires commitment and dedication, which can help students learn to manage their time effectively. By balancing Chapter responsibilities with academic and personal commitments, students can develop valuable time management skills. - Networking MEDLIFE Chapters provide opportunities for students to meet and connect with other individuals who share their interests, gaining international visibility by joining a global network of over 300 MEDLIFE Chapters. This can lead to valuable connections and potential career opportunities in the organization. Career Readiness and Employability - Students gain hands-on experience in community engagement and social impact projects, highly valued by future employers. They develop transferable skills such as problem-solving in real-world contexts, critical thinking, and intercultural empathy. For pre-med and health-related majors, early exposure to global health systems, medical inequities, and community-based prevention strengthens medical school and graduate applications. International Experience and Resume Differentiation -Chapters provide students with sustained opportunities to engage in international projects-not just one-time trips. This long-term involvement stands out on resumes and personal statements, demonstrating commitment, leadership, and global awareness. Purpose-Driven Leadership Development - MEDLIFE trains students not only to manage a club, but to become changemakers who can mobilize volunteers, coordinate with NGOs, and lead projects that drive social change. How do MEDLIFE Chapters benefit educational institutions? - Hosting a MEDLIFE Chapter does not only transform students’ educational journey; it also brings significant advantages to the institution itself. By integrating service, leadership, and global awareness into the student experience, educational institutions strengthen its academic profile, reinforce its commitment to community engagement, and enhance its reputation as a forward-thinking institution that prepares graduates for success in both their careers and civic life. Global Perspective - Through MEDLIFE’s mission, students gain exposure to global health and social justice issues, broadening their understanding of global inequalities. They can actively contribute to improving the lives of underserved communities through the Moving Mountains program. Hands-on Experience - Students can engage in MEDLIFE’s international projects, providing firsthand experience in community development, healthcare, and education. The experiences gained through volunteering and fundraising can enrich resumes and bolster future academic and career prospects. Enhanced Reputation and Visibility - Hosting a MEDLIFE Chapter positions the institution as one that cultivates socially responsible leaders committed to sustainable development. The school gains international visibility by joining a global network of over 300 MEDLIFE Chapters. This can lead to valuable connections and potential career opportunities in the organization. Improved Student Career Outcomes - The Chapter serves as a hub for experiential learning, equipping students with competencies sought after by employers and universities. Graduates stand out in the job market and in competitive admissions processes thanks to their leadership and service experience. Community Engagement and Local Impact - Beyond international projects, Chapters organize volunteer activities in their local communities, strengthening civic responsibility and partnerships with local organizations.