“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.” –Charles Darwin This year marks 10 years of Floating Doctors operations. In 2010 after the earthquake in Haiti, a rag-tag band of us (aboard a boat we had […]
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Jonathan
Earlier this month, you were teased with a picture of Jonathan, a very sweet boy who we had the pleasure of interviewing. Let me tell you about him and his family. We first met Jonathan in 2011. He was bright-eyed and incredibly extroverted. Like many his age, he demanded we give him our attention, play […]
Our Final Clinic of 2019…
Our Final Clinic of 2019… by Gaurav Sikka, Floating Doctors Lead Medical Provider Floating Doctors’ final clinic of 2019 was a multi-day at Ensenada, a community on the shores of the eastern side of Bahia Azul. Access to healthcare for this population is particularly difficult because, although located on the mainland, it is only really […]
A TRIP THAT OPENED A NEW PASSION
by Jill Patel Jill Patel joined us as initially as a global health student in the summer of 2018, and has been working on a research project focused on mental health within the Ngäbe-Buglé population. She will continue to work on Phase I of the project both in Panama and in the US through the […]
Our Dental Program Grows…
By Dr. Kevin Lan, Dental Director “You can never cross the ocean unless you lose sight of the shore.” Now more than ever, we face a rising epidemic of dental caries in the teeth of children from the indigenous Ngäbe communities we serve. The combination of their inability to afford basic oral health products such […]
A Letter from our Founder, Looking Back on 2018
As the last days of the year draw to an end, I’ve been handed an impossible task. It is traditional for NGO founders to write a post at the end of the year to summarize the work of the past year and to share with everyone the vision for the year ahead. When I sat […]
A Journey Towards Fairer Winds: A Reflection of Panama
by volunteer Trisha In “Be sympathetic to the weakest, because the odds of silver and gold are what determines our lives. Some do not have the same fate as us, so if one day we have the ability to help others, do not overlook that.” I took this quote from a reflection that my mom […]
Then and Now
by long-time volunteer Dr. Anna Bazinet At 9 years old, Mariana was confident, outgoing and so excited to see all the equipment we were unpacking that morning for the day’s medical clinic. She eagerly watched us set up the small pharmacy with medications, a scale, and a few blood pressure cuffs. She was wearing a […]
Floating Doctors, Veterinary Public Health and the One Health Model
by Veterinary Lead Dr. Thomas Easley Veterinary Public Health (VPH) is an essential component of public health and incorporates various types of cooperation between the many relevant disciplines involved in the interaction between people, animals and the environment they share. VPH programs should not be viewed as operating in isolation, but as making an important […]
Why Do They Matter?
By Gloria Obialisi, USC Medical Student I don’t know how to swim. Well, if I had to freestyle across a pool, I can maybe do it for 25-50m, but honestly, I’m not even sure if I can do that anymore. I’ve taken three swimming classes and have never been able to let go of the […]