“As a college freshman, I was still pretty clueless about where life would lead me. The guiding force that influenced me towards a career in health care came through my medical mission trips with Refuge International. As an undergrad, I received invaluable experience by participating directly in patient care on my trips to Guatemala. I learned to take blood pressures, start IV’s, and eventually to scrub in and assist with surgery.
“I have found working in the operating room exceedingly rewarding, and this led me to consider a career as a surgeon. However, my decision to become a doctor did not come solely from my operating room experience but from my exposure to human suffering, the potential of its relief, and the gratitude expressed by the people who I am given the chance to help. I have little doubt that I am where I am today, a second year medical student at UT Southwestern, because of the influence Refuge has had on my life.”
-Stephen Mahoney, Student Volunteer, 2012
