Providing healthcare to El Hongo, Mexico.
The Flying Samaritans of California State University, Fullerton is a sub-chapter of the 501(c)3 nonprofit organization Flying Samaritans. We have provided healthcare to the small under-served rural community of El Hongo, Mexico since 2006.
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How often are our trips?
Once a month we hold our clinic in El Hongo, Mexico. Clinics occur every third Saturday of the month.
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Do we fly?
Despite our name we do not fly. We drive to reach our clinic in El Hongo.
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What is required to join?
Volunteers should be active or past CSUF students. No training or certification is required. We accept all medical professionals and licensed personel.
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Our clinic in El Hongo, Mexico is composed of many departments including triage, optometry, dentistry, doctor rooms, pharmacy, lab, donations and the orphanage. Volunteers are assigned to specific roles and have unique experiences throughout a clinic day!
Observe and Perform Triage with Patients
In triage volunteers and translators work alongside EMT's, RN's, and other providers to determine the reason and urgency of a patient's visit. Student volunteers do not need to have prior experience, volunteers learn taking vitals including pulse, blood pressure, and respiratory rates in addition to possibly learning medical Spanish. Working in triage also is an excellent opportunity to interact with the community in El Hongo.
Shadow Medical Professionals
Our pharmacy provides prescribed medication to our patients in El Hongo. Volunteers in pharmacy work alongside a registered pharmacist, arranging prescriptions and learning medication names, roles, and purposes.
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Work in Pharmacy
At our clinic, we have four rooms dedicated for use as doctor rooms, all with essential equipment necessary for doctor check-ups with patients. Volunteers have the opportunity to shadow doctors over the course of a clinic.
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Aid in Optometry
We also provide optometry services to the community of El Hongo! Volunteers interested in the field of optometry have the chance to observe and assist in eye examinations alongside a registered optometrist. We also provide transport for patients requiring cataract surgery to a separate Flying Samaritans clinic in Tecate. Many thanks to our partners for their continual support of our efforts and providing the Flying Samaritans with prescription lenses, frames, equipment, and expertise for El Hongo, Mexico!
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Shadow in Dentistry
Our clinic also provides dental care to the community of El Hongo, Mexico. The newest department to our clinic, we recently acquired two dental chairs, an autoclave, and dental unit. Volunteers have the opportunity to shadow and assist a registered dentist with dental check-ups, extractions, and cavity care which the community lacks access to.
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Measure blood glucose in lab
Our lab provides blood glucose measurements for patients, of which are especially important to patients with high blood pressure or diabetes. Volunteers and translators work alongside a registered phlebotomist to ensure safe and accurate blood sugar measurements.
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El Hongo Orphanage
In addition to our clinic, we also send members every month to the El Hongo orphanage to provide medical check-ups and all of our resources to the children. We separately send donations to the orphanage including clothing, toys, and other care.
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Donations
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Public Health
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Every trip our clinic distributes donations to the community of El Hongo. We accept donations including clothes, canned foods, dental care, and other supplies! All donations are tax deductible and have a huge impact on our efforts. If you wanted to make a donation, please contact us at [email protected] !
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Do we fly?
No! Despite our name, CSUF's Flying Samaritans do not fly to El Hongo, Mexico. The original founders of the Flying Samaritans flew bush planes to several locations in Baja California to provide aid, however we do not. Several chapters of the organization still fly to locations throughout Baja California, but we drive because of the shorter distance we travel. More history about the Flying Samaritans can be found here!
We are always in need of donations, every small contribution makes a huge difference. Donations are tax-deductible, please contact us at [email protected] if you want to contribute to our efforts.
We need healthcare providers
