Senior Project

Before I chose my senior project, I knew that I wanted to do something service oriented. I also wanted it to relate to my future career goal of becoming a medical doctor. A service trip to the Dominican Republic where I would be interpreting for a doctor fit all of the criteria. 

For my senior project, I volunteered at the Somos Amigos Medical Missions clinic in Naranjito, Dominican Republic for one week in June 2012. Somos Amigos is a non-profit organization whose volunteers travel to the Dominican Republic three times a year to treat the people of Naranjito and others of the surrounding mountain regions. Because the community is so isolated from a major city, medical and dental care is not available. However, with a small clinic and several caring volunteers from the United States, those of Naranjito can receive medical and dental attention including medications, for free. 

Last year, I went on this trip as an interpreter for a cardiologist. This past summer, I translated for a pediatrician which was very different. It was a great opportunity for me, because I had considered going into pediatrics in the future. Also, it was very helpful to my spanish; since I was the only one in the room who could communicate with the patient, my spanish improved tremendously. However, there was a lot of pressure on me to comfort the patient, and at times this was very stressful. After working with a pediatrician for one week and seeing patients, I realized that this path was not in my future. The work was very rewarding, but it was very difficult to see small children that were very sick, especially since I had no way of helping them. 

Apart from the trip itself, I plan on continuing to operate as the president of the Somos Amigos Club I started last year at Napa High. I hope to raise at least $1,000 for the organization. In June, I saw that many children needed surgeries, but Somos Amigos could only refer a small portion of patients to other hospitals. I hope to make a difference in more children’s lives by restoring them back to health through a monetary donation.  

For the research paper component of my senior project, I will focus on the topic of health in the Dominican Republic. I expect to find numerous statistics about health issues such as low life expectancies and serious illnesses due to poor nutrition and sanitation, as witnessed by my own experience. 

My service trip gave me a huge appreciation for my own living condition and my access to health care, something that I constantly take for granted. I look forward to raising my awareness of the health conditions in the Dominican Republic, but most importantly, I am excited to make a difference and improve someone’s life. 

-Danielle