MedicalMissions.com Podcast

Exploring the Journey to Full-Time Missions: Agencies, Funding, Singles/Families, God’s Guidance

Hear healthcare missionaries share their journeys. In the first hour hear a panel of two docs and two nurses will your questions, as well these: - How do I find God’s guidance in the journey? - Why and how do I connect with a mentor or agency or team or training? - What about student loans, raising financial support? The second hour will be small discussion group with a missionary coach and others like you in your current stage: - Exploring whether or not to consider full-time missions ...

Using procedural medicine to build relationships

Teaching medical procedures is one of the most "hands on" parts to medical education. We will be discussing the challenges about this topic, tips for success, and how to use our influence as medical educators to honor God. Session recorded on Friday, November 10th during Session Block #2 at 10:00 AM EST ; speaker: Andrew Posey; Jonathan Peters Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/using-procedural-medicine-to-build-relationships

The Training Years: Wisdom for What’s Now and Pearls for What's Next

STUDENTS & RESIDENTS: How can we deepen in our love for Jesus and see this refining, exciting time as He does? We’ll spend the first half tackling topics like long-haul stamina, time management, living in community, debt, and God’s heart for those experiencing poverty. For the second hour, we’ll divide into small groups of the same discipline (i.e., DO/MD students, residents, pre-med, PA, NP, pharmacy, dental, spouses). With facilitators who have gone through it before, we’ll dive into the ...

Training Nurses and Other Healthcare Workers to Serve Cross-Culturally on Short-Term Missions

Cultures around the world have differing worldviews, practices, and behaviors related to health, disease, healing, suffering, death, and dying. According to scripture, humility is an attitude believers need to adopt, especially when working cross-culturally, “Clothe yourselves in humility (1 Pet. 5:5). Training nurses and other healthcare workers to use cultural humility allows believers to approach another person with openness, compassion, and the love of Jesus. When believers take the time...

Honor Shame Dynamics: How to serve effectively

People interpret what we do based on their worldview. In Honor-Shame cultures, people might misinterpret and see in our actions merit making, proselytization or apostasy, however pure our motivation may be. We’ll look at honor-shame based worldviews, understand how and why people may misinterpret what we do, look at risks and practices to help show and share God’s love appropriately. We’ll use observations from relief and urban poor work in SE Asia to illustrate. Application is relevant both...

Where do I fit in today's Missions Landscape?

The global missions landscape has shifted and so has the role Americans now play. We'll explore the many new opportunities this has created. Session recorded on Thursday, November 9th during Session Block #1 at 3:45PM EST ; speaker: Charlie Vittitow. Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/where-do-i-fit-in-todays-missions-landscape

Get Emotionally Healed: A training course

Your emotional health matters as you join God in His work among the nations. Learn to apply biblical principles to experience emotional healing and minister to others. In this session you will walk away with 4 keys that will help you receive God's emotional healing. Session recorded on Thursday, November 9th during Session Block #1 at 3:45PM EST ; speaker: Francis Bukachi. Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/get-emotionally-healed-a-training-course

Bridge Building for Christ’s Kingdom

There are tens of thousands of bridges all over the world. We cross them to get over to the other side. We often take them for granted and sometimes we marvel at them. The Great Commission of our Lord Jesus to take His Gospel into all the world is meant for everyone, without exception. But most believers hardly know where to start and how to effectively communicate His Truth with the lost. We can do so by building bridges to take the seeker across the abyss and into His light. It’s a whole l...

Five principles for creating long-term sustainable impact on short term mission trips

The Great Commission is a call for all Christ followers to make disciples wherever we are. So often, however, we think that this takes place on a short-term trip where we "do" a project for the national or indigenous people. Discipleship requires more time than what a short-term trip offers. We will consider how we might have a long-term impact even on a short-term trip by working with and not just for our indigenous brothers and sisters in Christ. Session recorded on Thursday, November 9th...

Making Psychopharmacology Easier in the Trenches - Yes, There’s an App for That!

Take a journey exploring the epidemic level of mental health disorders that has made primary care the de facto mental health system globally. Hear how primary care clinicians can overcome the growing lack of access to mental and behavioral health specialty services. Discover how the Waco Guide to Psychopharmacology, a free, tangible, evidence-based, point-of-care tool providing high-quality mental and behavioral health care support, is helping busy primary care clinicians to make impactful t...

Making short-term global healthcare mission trips ethical, equitable and ecologically responsible

This session will discuss how short-term global healthcare mission trips can benefit medical students and residents, but also be beneficial to their global hosts. Ways to make these trips ethical, equitable and ecologically responsible will be presented. Mission and academic agencies are paying critical attention to “Global Healthcare Education” experiences. Short-term mission trips in a Christian context may meet this need. How can we make these experiences ethical, equitable, and ecologic...

Team Conflicts: How to navigate and overcome challenges with team dynamics

Team Dynamics in low resource, high demand, multi-cultural environments is challenging. We will discuss a wide range of coping skills including clear boundaries, sabbath and transparency. We will also discuss how to build team consensus and agreement on the foundational principles related to self-care in a healthcare missions environment. The creation and communication of personal and team boundaries will be discussed with practical application examples shared.   Session recorded on Thursd...

Empowering Women through Short-Term Trips

Join us as we share our experiences in leading women on cross-cultural short-term trips. Hear about the techniques we have developed to help team members break down barriers, connect with other women, and effectively communication the love of God. This session will focus on the wholistic approach to training and equipping women for short-term trips and the impact they leave on others they meet. Properly preparing teams to minister to the whole person (Physical, Mental, Emotional, and Spiritu...

Separating Progress from Hype in Medicine: Fragility, Flaws, & Fallacy in Scientific Evidence

Although new therapies are being discovered all the time (medical progress), current research shows that many of these advances are ultimately demonstrated to be false in subsequent studies. In order to understand which discoveries are likely to be true progress vs. mere hype, every clinician should understand these basic but surprising aspects of scientific evidence before recommending a new therapy for a patient. We will explore the concepts of the fragility (Fragility Index), flaws (Criti...

Treatment of Parasitic Diseases

This session will review common treatments for soil-transmitted helminths, Chagas disease, HAT, and leishmaniasis. Although these parasitic infections are often acquired outside of the United States, with a recent increase in immigrants and refugees entering the United States, more are being identified as patients present for medical care. The goal of this session is to educate providers and increase awareness of how to identify and treat these parasitic infections. The brief discussion of t...

And Then the End Will Come (Expanded)

We live in the most amazing days since Jesus walked the earth. The global church is sprinting toward the finish line of the 2000-year Great Commission race, and by God’s grace, our generation may be the one to finish it. In this session, Douglas Cobb of The Finishing Fund will explain the global effort to get the gospel for the first time to the world’s last few unengaged people groups and will present the amazing promise of Matthew 24:14 that the completion of the Great Commission will open...

Managing Diarrheal Diseases in Children in under-resourced Communities

Globally, diarrheal disease is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in children under five years, accounting for over half a million deaths annually. Diarrhea arises mostly from contaminated food and water sources. Worldwide 2.5 billion people lack proper sanitation, and 780 million lack access to safe drinking water. Diarrhea contributes to the incidence of malnutrition in children as each episode deprives the child of optimal nutrition. In resource-poor communities, children under th...

Real-Life Struggles with Medical Ethics at the Mission Hospital

Medical missionaries from Western industrialized nations frequently encounter ethically disturbing situations when providing care in the developing world. This may be due to generally-recognized ethical principles being largely influenced by Western realities, beliefs and values. Individuals in resource-limited settings may have very different views on the risks and benefits of medical care, widely disparate access to reliable treatment, and decision-making that emphasizes honoring the opini...

Human Trafficking in Children and Youth

Trafficking in persons is one of the greatest violations against humankind. Human trafficking happens locally, nationally, and internationally; with all ages, ethnicities, socioeconomic levels and genders. While any person can be lured into exploitation, children have additional vulnerabilities due to their dependence on adults and developmental issues. This presentation seeks to address human trafficking in children and youth and how the healthcare provider can be integral in the prevention...

Raising Prayer and Financial Support; Thriving for a lifetime

Prayer support is just as vital as financial support. This session will explore how to thrive for a lifetime. You will need churches to send you, and a full and engaged prayer and financial support team.

Caring for the Caregiver - A platform for the continuum of care for those in healthcare

Every day healthcare workers face a lot of stressful and emotionally challenging situations at work. Moreover the long drawn pandemic has had its impact on healthcare workers. Numerous deaths, making difficult choices due to resource constraints and overstretched days are some of the challenges that have affected health workers mentally and emotionally. With daily work demands being constant many of them are left with these issues unresolved. How then can we care for our caregivers who suppo...

Navigating the Unique Obstacles of Raising Kids in the Mission Field

How do we serve in the mission field without losing our kids? Third Culture Kids or Missionary Kids live a unique life experience that at its best can form amazing faith and character and at its worst, disillusionment and unbelief. The session will address how we can try to parent well, while living and growing up in Christian systems differentiating from what is Biblical and what is cultural.

Evidence Based Medicine

Evidence based medicine is emphasized worldwide. An important skill in the practice of evidence based health care is the ability to critically appraise the validity of published literature. This lecture will explore principles of evidence based medicine and critical appraisal of randomized controlled trial.

Mentoring in Medicine - Making It Matter

Mentors are instrumental in the professional and personal growth of healthcare professionals. However, mentoring relationships often fail to realize their full potential. Attendees will be encouraged and equipped to initiate mentoring relationships that provide both mentor and mentee with a rewarding experience.

Making a mid-career move to full-time missions--barriers and solutions.

A panel of those who entered full time missions after age 50 will discuss how God overcame and is overcoming objections, difficulties and fears to place them in service. https://bit.ly/gmhc2022_bond_burgess_makingamidcareermove

Single Minded Singleness: Handling the Challenges & Rewards of Being Unmarried in Missions

There are a lot of advantages and freedoms for serving alone in ministry, like super-focus on tasks without interruption, managing time schedule and work, budget/finances for money spending, housing/moving for living situations, building friendships/engaging in social activities for enhancing outreach, and traveling/planning/ decision-making. However, there are some challenges for long-term singleness in ministry, whether serving across town or across the border, which can be emotionally uns...

Emotional Healing Matters: 4 Proven Biblical Keys You Can Use

Your emotional health matters as you join God in His work among the nations. There are four proven biblical keys to receive your emotional healing and use to minister to others. Using these keys will help you to stay emotional healthy as you serve others.

Responding to Gods Command and Commission

In this session, It will seek to help guide you on how to respond to God’s Command and Commission, The quest for discovering and following God’s will and purpose for one’s life is often an illusion to many children of the Living God, Many believers resorts to imitating others and or live a hypocritical phantom life as they are tied down to daily engagements and undertakings of everyday life, It is hoped that discovering the reason for living your life with purpose is made easier. You will di...

"The Talk about . . . fundraising and MedSend's solution"

Are you comfortable asking people for money? Do you understand the critical areas you must address if you are going to ask people to invest in you? This session will give you an understanding of the basics in fundraising that is fundamental to anyone in ministry. You will learn 5 critical things you must do in order to raise your own support. There is a solution to the obstacle of educational loans which often prevent many from going due to the amount of money that must be raised – MedSend. ...

Securing Heart Surgery for Children in LMIC's

Globally, congenital heart disease (CHD) is prevalent in approximately 1.8 per 100 live births making it a substantial contributor to infant mortality. (Lancet Child Adolesc Health, 2020). This is especially true in LMIC's where access to diagnostic, therapeutic and corrective resources is limited. While many organizations exist to address these challenging statistics, for the child in rural Africa and elsewhere around the world, access remains limited. Missionary physicians and other provid...

Biomedical Research and Faith-Based Healthcare

This session will consider case studies of biomedical research in mission contexts, derive best practices in biomedical research that enhance the work of mission institutions, and describe how to get involved in biomedical research in faith-based settings. Presentation Slides: https://bit.ly/gmhc2022_marktopazian_biomedicalresearchandfaith

Substance Use in the Middle East: Patterns, Determinants, Treatment Barriers, and Christian Interventions

Grief Protocol: An approach to processing suffering as global healthcare workers

Grief Protocol: An Approach to Processing Suffering and Loss as Global Healthcare Workers https://www.dropbox.com/s/u7nmhonwddtk7cg/final%20grief%20protocol%20GMHC.pdf?dl=0

Clinical Ethics 2022

Clinicians encounter many ethical issues in practice of medicine. This lecture first explores ethics from the perspective of seminal studies on normal human nature including incentives, social reciprocity and token effect. The lecture will then focus on the impact of this human nature on every day medical practice, medical education, medical research and medical missions.

Overview of Leishmaniasis

Overview of leishmaniasis epidemiology, clinical presentation, and treatment options

How Rehab Professionals can care for and advance the gospel to people with disabilities around the world

In this session participants will be exposed to the role rehabilitation professionals can play in addressing the needs of persons with disabilities around the world and how addressing these needs can advance the gospel. We'll explore the prevelance of disabilities in the world, and what God has to say about His love for and care for persons with disabilities. https://bit.ly/gmhc2022_roy_canclini_mrowiec_howrehabprofessionals

Resilience, Endurance and Serving God’s Kingdom in Unfamiliar Places

Resilience, Endurance and Serving God's Kingdom in Unfamiliar Places

Caring for Victims of Humanitarian Disaster and Military Conflict

Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) face significant challenges to their health and well-being that are unique due to lack of necessary resources including food, water, sanitation, shelter, security, and healthcare. Caring for people in these situations requires an understanding of their unique needs as well as having realistic goals regarding what can and cannot be done for them. Our experiences in providing healthcare for the victims of disasters in Congo, Indonesia, Pakistan,...

Treating severe pediatric malaria--practical priorities to save lives.

According to the WHO, in the African Region, about 473 000 children die from pneumonia, 300 000 from diarrhea, and a further 443 000 from malaria every year. Mortality in hospitalized cases of severe pediatric malaria is 9%-10%. Many efforts to prevention infection and improve nutrition so as to modulate the impact of infection are in place but when critically ill children present, correctly preparing staff and systems to prioritize effective care can make the difference. This session will d...

What is My Place in the World of Missions

There is a shift happening in missions, what is God up to and what is my role? https://bit.ly/gmhc2022_charlievittitow_whatismyplace

Emergency Dental Diagnosis and Management for the Non-Dentist

In both domestic and international situations, dental needs often go unmet (for multiple reasons). Many people in poverty develop a "survivalist" mindset and only seek care when in pain. Untreated dental conditions, if neglected long enough, can turn into dental emergencies. When many patients do finally seek dental care, it is often in an emergency medical setting where dentistry is not usually available. In some parts of the world, dental care may be non-existent altogether. These emergenc...

Protect Yourself from Moral Injury!

We will learn how moral injury is inevitable in cross-cultural healthcare, and we will learn how to prevent and manage moral injury through proven, God-honoring methods. Presentation slides: https://bit.ly/gmhc2022_jimritchie_protectyourselffrom

Cultural Humility in Healthcare

As we see an increasing number of culturally diverse patients in our US-based practices or on the mission field, our understanding of cultural influences in healthcare and our own biases is essential. How can we develop an eye to see where a patient’s values and worldview may differ from our own? We will review an approach to cultural humility highlighted by medical missions case studies. Presentation Slides: https://bit.ly/gmhc2022_davidnarita_culturalhumility

Challenges Lived & Lessons Learned As a Nurse in a Low-Resource Country

Hand gestures? Gaps in knowledge? Use of humor? Feeling quite alone. These are just some of the questions and one of the challenges a health care educator can experience when teaching in a low-resource country or setting. This presentation is designed to first walk you through considerations one should explore when designing an international body of work. Then the speaker will guide you through the real-life ups and downs and thrills of teaching nursing in a classroom setting in rural Cambod...

God of the Desert: Finding hope and beauty in our trials

Like the prophet Elijah in the Old Testament, many times we as followers of Jesus who seek to make His name known, find ourselves crying out to God “I have had enough Lord”. Learning how to find God in our trials and to trust His loving faithfulness to refine us is a necessary part of our journey. Though sometimes difficult to share openly, the failures, disappointments, and hard times are important in the life of a global worker. Most often, just as in Elijah’s life in I Kings 19, the beaut...

God's Heart for the Nations - Why it Matters for All Health Care Practitioners

God painted His heart for the Nations throughout the pages of His Word, from Genesis to Revelation... If we live our lives, spend our money, eat/drink, exercise, pray, and practice medicine without catching this vision, we're missing out on the greatest masterpiece ever created! We create a false dichotomy of domestic healthcare and that which is international. God doesn't see it this way and neither should we.

A Third of Us: What It Takes to Reach the Unreached

Today over three billion people, a third of the inhabitants of the earth, have yet to hear the good news of Jesus. They have no opportunity to believe in him as their Savior. Of all the injustices in the world – and there are many that are quite distressing – this is the worst, because of the eternal consequences. In light of this staggering need, we will explore the five Great Commission passages, where Jesus methodically unfolds the essence of the Church’s task in reaching the unreached. T...

Integrating Healthcare and Church Planting

Providing healthcare in pioneer mission settings complements and demonstrates the Gospel in action, following the footsteps of Jesus. This results in both improving the healthcare of the local community—and beyond—and the planting and growth of the church. We will describe and illustrate this from experiences in Thailand, Cambodia and the Big Country in Asia. https://bit.ly/gmhc2022_narita_thompson_integratinghealthcare_ https://bit.ly/gmhc2022_narita_thompson_integratinghealthcare_handout_

Cross-Cultural Issues in Teaching Internationally

This session will help prepare participants for teaching internationally and/or cross-culturally. It will discuss differences in education methods that exist between different countries and cultural reasons for them; how these differences may impact how you teach and introduce new methods; and provide examples of ways to overcome or adapt to these differences. https://bit.ly/gmhc2022_sharifalkenheimer_crossculturalissues

Five Principles for Long-term impact on a Short-term trip

This session is for those interested in leaving a lasting impact in one's overseas involvement. Often, the impact lasts only as long as the team is on the ground. If you would like to discover one way to have a lasting impact without creating dependency, this session is for you. https://bit.ly/gmhc2022_jaimesaint_fiveprinciples