Have you ever considered medical missions? Whether internationally, or here on the home front, if you are a faith-minded nurse practitioner, you have the opportunity to couple your practice with spiritual motivation. There are a number of missions organizations and faith-based health clinics serving populations in need worldwide, the U.S. included. These organizations are in need of healthcare providers committed to their mission to help care for these patients.
As a student, I had the opportunity to travel to Kenya to assist physicians in a hospital as well as a mobile refugee camp clinic working in communities with limited access to care. Most of the physicians I worked with in the hospital were full-time missionaries. These MDs were 100 percent committed to providing medical care away from home to make a difference in a community that would not have otherwise had access to medical services.
One frustration iterated frequently from missionary physicians during my experience was frustration that motivated young people often expressed interest in joining their efforts following med school graduation. Looming student loan repayments, however, prevented them from doing so. Saddled with debt, these new physicians vowed to work for a few years in a traditional employment setting, then to return to the mission field in a few years time.
As we all have experienced, grand aspirations often fall to the wayside as life gets in the way. Starting a family changes long-term plans. The thought of going from a six-figure income to a small monthly mission’s stipend doesn’t seem as appealing once one gets used to the comforts of the upper-middle class lifestyle. MDs who once expressed a desire to practice abroad on the mission field rarely realize their former dream as a result. One organization has set out to change this.
MedSend is an organization that makes it possible for healthcare providers with a faith-based purpose to bring medical care to populations in need. Similar to the federal loan repayment programs with which many nurse practitioners are familiar, MedSend provides grants to healthcare providers working with mission organizations to cover the cost of student loans. This removes the obstacle of educational debt, allowing physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants to pursue their passion.
Working as a nurse practitioner for a faith-based organization doesn’t need to occur overseas. Here in the U.S., there are a number of mission-focused Christian health clinics serving populations in need. The Christian Community Health Fellowship (CCHF) is an organization providing resources to such clinics. MedSend and CCHF have partnered so that healthcare providers interested in working with Christian health clinics may do so without the pressure of student loan debt.
So, if you are a nurse practitioner interested in expressing your faith through your practice, check out MedSend. The organization may allow you to pursue your spiritual and clinical passion in a way that makes financial sense.
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