The ICHF’s medical teams travel to affiliate countries for approximately two weeks. During this time they operate on as many children as possible. Through these medical mission trips students experience what it takes to provide pediatric cardiac care in developing countries. The student’s role is to learn as much as possible about pediatric cardiac care.

A mission trip should be viewed as a learning experience. The trip medical team will be staffed with volunteers and one or more ICHF medical staff. These include:

• Surgeon
• Perfusionist
• Cardiologist
• Anesthesiologist
• Intensivist
• Respiratory therapist
• Nurse

The student will have the opportunity to spend a few days with each specialist to get a well-rounded view of the different aspects of pediatric cardiac care. Students enable their own learning process by observing physicians and nurses in action and asking questions.

Students are also encouraged to spend time with the children and their families in the pediatric ward as well as in the ICU. Students collect stories about the children and their families and take pictures. These pictures help the foundation with trip reports and fundraising.

Visit the Mission Trip page to see the list of scheduled and planned trips.