Posts – Shaw Medical Travel Consultants

DIVERSITY, INCLUSION AND CULTURAL COMPETENCE. - In recent times we've heard a lot about diversity and inclusion and we've also heard a lot about cultural competence. Unfortunately, these terms are often conflated and used interchangeably. So, it's important to identify and define each entity, define how they interrelate and operate cross functionally or complement each other as well. Cultural Competence is defined as the ability to understand, communicate with, and effectively interact with people across cultures. Cultural competence is being aware of one’s own world view, developing positive attitudes towards cultural differences, as well as gaining knowledge of different cultural practices and worldviews. (Make it our… … Continue reading

AN INTERVIEW WITH SONIA WYNTER ON FREQUENT TRAVEL AND IMPACT ON RELATIONSHIPS. - Shaw Medical Travel Consultants (SMTC) caught up with licensed clinical psychologist Sonia Wynter (SW) to have a conversation about the impact of frequent traveling on interpersonal relations and relationships. This is a two-part series with the first part written below and the complete interview available on our YouTube channel. SMTC: How impactful do you view the effects of Travel (personal or business) on the growth of healthy relationships. SW: There are several variables that can influence the impact of travel on the growth of healthy relationships a few of which are: The frequency of travel and the average duration of individual trips. The… … Continue reading

SLICE – How Wellness practices can benefit depression. - Wellness tourism is defined as travel for the purpose of promoting health and well-being through physical, psychological or spiritual activities. Popular perceptions of the importance of diet, fitness and healthy practices have transformed and empowered vibrant new business sectors into the wellness markets. Wellness tourism is defined by the nonprofit Global Wellness Institute (GWI) as “travel associated with the pursuit of maintaining or enhancing one's personal well-being “. According to GWI wellness tourism is an extension of the values of the lifestyle of the traveler which is not just about the destination. The incorporation of elements of health, prevention, self-actualization,… … Continue reading

How I became disillusioned with medical mission travels. - I've always had an interest in helping those less fortunate than me and with my healthcare experience and exposure I thought I could meld the two to effect a positive impact. I've lived in a third world country and am intimately aware of economic trials of people struggling to exist. I've lived in developed countries and also seen marginalization of people from different ethnic, cultural, racial backgrounds struggle to exist. It is apparent that in many instances the need to struggle to exist is not solely dependent on where you come from or your country of origin. Within countries of… … Continue reading

HOW CULTURE AFFECTS HEALTH AND WELLNESS. - Culture affects health and healthcare in many ways and realizing this will impact success in disease management and achieving Wellness as well as interactions during mission and charity ventures. "Health is intertwined with the fabric of life and the beliefs and practices that go with it, health and culture exist and interact within a broader social, political, an economic environment " The classical definition of culture is “the complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, customs, and any other capabilities inhabits acquired by man as a member of society” - EB Taylor 1871 No culture is ironclad or fixed,… … Continue reading

Traveling with Dietary Restrictions. - Please do not stop traveling because you have a diet restriction instead, read the following tips on how to make your travels enjoyable despite restrictions. Plan ahead. Research restaurants and markets at your destination using travel books and informational travel websites before you leave. Book accommodations with kitchenettes, apartment rentals, etc., in case cooking for yourself is necessary. Give airlines advanced notice of your special diet. Planes and trains – pack snacks and food but follow security rules for foods and liquids. Traveling internationally – make a list of restricted foods in multiple languages (ask your physician or research online).… … Continue reading

WHAT TO EXPECT WHILE TRAVELING IN THE POST COVID-19 ERA. - “It is only after one is in trouble that one realizes how little sympathy and kindness there is in the world” – Nellie Bly As the travelling community gears up in the next many months to resume essential and non-essential travel when borders are reopened, we can expect many changes. We can protest but there will be changes that we will be forced to accept and adapt. What are the expected changes? Starting with the person in the mirror - you. Due to being isolated and experiencing solitude, you might have realized new talents and acquired new hobbies and possibly… … Continue reading

How to pick a country for medical mission work. - Medical missions are being organized all over the world originating generally from countries in the West and organized through church or religious establishments and /or civic groups such as Rotary, Kiwanis, Links etc. These are all well intentioned ventures with a mind for doing good and with intentions of filling a deficit in certain countries of what they perceive to be needed resources, opportunities, or services. Here are some tips that may help you to improve and enhance your experience while providing the most benefit and return an engagement from your efforts. First start with yourself. Ask yourself why you… … Continue reading

How a mission trip to help Haiti changed my life forever. - I have been on 2-3 mission trips a year in the last 7 years with a grand opening for me of the big wide open world out there. Each trip is truly not the same, but a new introduction deeper into the heart of the local people. Keeping our word and working as long as it takes to see each patient who has walked up to 20 miles to see us in our free clinic is very important in building trust in our services to them. I recommend that everyone go on a mission trip young and old! You will… … Continue reading

Nutrition, Stress and Wellbeing - “All disease begins in the gut” - Hippocrates Stress management is “as serious as a heart attack” We must think of our body as a whole rather than consisting of individual parts. Like an orchestra, the parts work together. Studies have shown there is a gut-brain connection. Gut inflammation leads to digestive issues, which in turn produce brain inflammation, stress, anxiety, and depression-resulting in disease states. Studies have shown that 95% of all health problems are either caused by or worsened by stress. Stress affects the mind, body and spirit. If our body is nutrient deficient, then it cannot have… … Continue reading

When you know better, you travel better. - Roslyn Parker is traveltodogood.com's CEO/Chief Experiences Officer. When I first started my company ten years ago my mission was simple….travel and do good I defined doing good as a single volunteer experience. My company’s role is to facilitate doing good. As a social entrepreneur my travel change agency serves as a catalyst for me to do my “heart work” and to empower others to travel to do good. I partnered with non-profit organizations and worked closely with them to identify their needs and how we would volunteer and support them. Volunteers arrived eager to lend a helping hand to… … Continue reading

Tips for choosing a physician or surgeon. - HOW TO FIND THE RIGHT SPECIALIST. In this blog we will talk about the tools you need to select the right physician for you. We'll start with general questions, inquiries and background information you should check on and know about all your physicians and then subsequently fine-tune some details related to certain specialties. First for the general information: Verify the physician's credentials and that they are active, Do a Google and social media search including LinkedIn. Verify that the credentials are universally active, in other words a physician may be working in a different country. Verify that the credentials are… … Continue reading

Solo Female Travelers Shouldn’t Have to Choose Between Being Adventurous and Being Afraid - Article source: By TYLER WETHERALL at https://www.cntraveler.com/ I THOUGHT BEING A FEARLESS FEMALE TRAVELER MEANT I COULDN'T SHOW FEAR. After I returned from Cuba, friends asked me how it was. Amazing, I said, and I meant it. I told them about the tumbledown houses and rattle of old cars. About dancing on the streets of Baracoa or hitching a ride on the back of an ox cart through the jungle. I also told them I found it hard to travel there as a single woman. And then I told them a story about what happened to me in a cab in Havana.… … Continue reading

Medical Missions – not a “one and done” initiative. - Part I Search the Internet and you will find numerous churches, civic organizations, Charity organizations and schools offering medical mission trips to locations in South America, Central America, Caribbean and Africa to name a few. Many of these organizations are reputable in and of themselves. Some mission trips are surgical in purpose serving a dire need of repairing physical malformations, others serve to provide medical services cognitive and procedural, others serve to build structures. Much funds are often raised to support these ventures and although financials can be requested this is rarely done. There have been many reports of money… … Continue reading

How to interview your doctor when traveling for medical care – 21 must ask questions. - Have you ever been to a doctor to consult on your medical conditions and been very uncomfortable or got the impression that they didn't know you or didn't understand you or there was just a lack of communication? Have you ever gotten nervous traveling outside of the country and felt like you did not know how to make sure you were asking the correct questions or investigating the right things? Below we listed a few questions you might find helpful to answer all these and more questions to Help you feel comfortable and secure about your choices. How long have… … Continue reading

How to compare the quality of facilities and physicians. - It's important you understand how to tell how good one facility is when compared to another or how good a physician is compared to another. There are many different measures currently available throughout the globe that compare medical services and health care facilities. As a layperson it may be difficult with the hodgepodge of confusing alphabet soup organizations that deliver comparative metrics to distinguish the significance of an evaluation or a grade given by these entities. So, what are some of the easily understandable and reliable ways to compare physicians and institutions across cultures and countries from a safety and… … Continue reading

Should I quit my job and travel? What do I need to think about? - Many dream of traveling at will, traveling without need to worry, but worry if it's the right decision? When is the best time? How will you finance it and a host of other valid concerns. There are a lot of stories on the web recounting personal experiences, pros and cons from anecdotal experiences but none that carefully detail all that needs to be considered. So here we will give you some pointers, pros and cons for you to consider before making this life changing move. Take time alone to think. Think about where you are in life now. Do you… … Continue reading

Travel young or older: pros and cons. - There's much debate about when is the best time to travel, is it better to travel when you're young or is it better to travel when you're older. although the exact age is that qualify for a description of “young” versus “old” can be left up to individual interpretation. At either age most are searching for Happiness and personal fulfillment to some degree. Traveling young < 30 years old. No responsibility - You have fewer responsibilities and obligations, financial and otherwise. This is a perfect time to travel on a slim budget, stay in hostels and couch surfing with likeminded… … Continue reading

Drinking and traveling alone. - Definition of “alcoholism”, now called “alcohol use disorder“ is an addiction to the consumption of alcoholic liquor or the mental illness and compulsive behavior resulting from alcohol dependency (Oxford). it is a long-term addiction to alcohol and generate the person with this condition does not know when nor how to stop drinking. they usually spend a lot of time thinking about alcohol and cannot control how much they consume even if it causes serious problems at home, work or financially (Medical News today). Some people can be classified as high functioning Alcoholics , meaning that you can have a lot… … Continue reading

Understand post abroad depression and Reverse Culture Shock. - Why is it important, essentially the same definition. What can you do about it? Reverse culture shock is emotional and psychological distress suffered by some people when they return home after several years overseas. This can result in unexpected difficulty in readjusting to the culture and values of the home country, now that the previously familiar home has become unfamiliar. (source: Investopedia). Post travel/study abroad depression is real. No one at home will understand you and no one will get you and what you're going through, it's like you're fighting it alone. The thrill of adventure that comes with travel… … Continue reading