Three years ago I was encouraged to go on the PAMS mission trip by a coworker stating the experience would change my life so I blindly followed the recommendation and joined the team in 2014.  I was very surprised how the experience immediately impacted the way I view certain aspects in America and the closeness I shared with complete strangers on the team sharing the same goal to help.  Since then, I have been back an additional two times doing anything and everything I can to improve... (click here to read more)

Thats me on the left. Scrubs, surgeon's cap, and face-mask, all on. This was the first of seven surgeries I observed. It was a uterine prolapse. I never expected to step into the O.R. until Medical School, but there I was, Sophomore, pre-med student talking to two surgeons as they chop away at the patient's reproductive organs. As a volunteer, my job in the surgery department was to coordinate patient movement in and out of the O.R., as well as help communication between doctors and staff... (click here to read more)

From my first experience in Ayacucho in 2012, I learned that  the city of Ayacucho has skilled orthopedic surgeons, but lacked the necessary equipment to handle common types of leg and thigh fractures in an ideal manner.  As a result, injured patients had to endure much more difficult, painful and less successful treatments that often resulted in long-term problems and disability. On this, my second mission, we decided to do something to make a lasting impact in this area. Thanks to generous contributions of our supporters... (click here to read more)

Today was an incredible day.  I woke up early, walked out to a beautiful breakfast and greeted the last set of volunteers arriving from the airport. Among them were Perry Liu and Payam Jerrahnejad, two accomplished plastic surgeons exhausted from traveling.  I knew that six kids from the far away agricultural town of Puno would be coming to the hotel to see them sometime today.  One of the six is a shepherd’s daughter.  Three were scared to go into the elevator as they had never been in one before.  And none had flown in a plane before they... (click here to read more)