Testimonials
Han Jade, Summer 2023
“My time with VMO has been such a fulfilling and exciting experience! I first joined the club as a first-year during COVID and have been with the team since. It's amazing to see how far VMO has come from organizing online fundraisers to hosting our first mission trip in the summer of 2023 since the pandemic.
Because of VMO, I was able to visit Vietnam for the first time in over 10 years to not only do volunteer work but also explore the country's culture, healthcare system, and social life with friends and family. VMO has been a safe place for me to learn about global health and meet good people <3”
Tiffany, Summer 2021
“I really wanted to be a part of an organization with a mission/message that I felt was meaningful and effective! I believe that VMO has these qualities and encapsulates an impactful way of volunteering abroad. Although this year has been rough, I am extremely happy that VMO is continuing its efforts to provide necessary services for underserved communities in Vietnam!”
Courtney, Summer 2021
“I joined VMO because I wanted to take part in educating our community about the importance of preventative care as well as assist those in Vietnam with basic medical services. VMO means a deeper connection and understanding with my culture as well as an opportunity to have close connections with those in Vietnam and in the organization.”
Davina, Summer 2023
“Hello! My name’s Davina and I’m a recent MCB alumni (F23!). I joined VMO my junior year as a trip member and had the opportunity to travel to Vietnam the summer of 2023. I can honestly say that the trip was one of the best experiences I ever had in my time at Berkeley. The memories I made with the cohort are ones I will cherish for the rest of my life. As a member who could not speak Vietnamese, I was initially very scared. Though I had a lot of experience traveling in foreign countries, having to work directly with patients, doctors, students, etc. raised the stakes much more. But, my experience was in no way diminished with the language barrier. My group was very supportive and willingly translated everything to keep me in the loop and I greatly appreciated that. I definitely refined my pronunciation of “Cảm ơn!” and that is really all you need :)”
Nhi, Summer 2023
“I had a meaningful experience with VMO cohort in Vietnam. The trip allowed me to reflect upon my childhood memories in Vietnam, share that with other members and connect the values of healthcare systems in the US and Vietnam together. Throughout the VMO trip, I felt grateful for the opportunity to serve the community I grew up in and for the great friendships with other members.”
Hieu Pham, Summer 2023
“As an immigrant, VMO's mission struck me because I could see myself in the shoes of the people that VMO strives to help. We had the opportunity to organize free mobile and vaccination clinics for underrepresented communities in Vietnam and work alongside so many doctors, nurses, and other dedicated healthcare professionals.”
Vivian, Summer 2021
“This year marks my second year with VMO! Last summer, we were unable to go to Vietnam to volunteer due to the global health crisis, but were still able to fund and send the organization Aid to Children Without Parents many medical resources such as Hepatitis B vaccinations to aid their services. If the health situation permits, we look forward to volunteering in Vietnam this upcoming summer! Outside of the trip, VMO more importantly allowed me to grow my knowledge regarding global public health, medical ethics, and healthcare disparities (which is the field I want to study in the future!). Being a first-generation Vietnamese American with parents who both came from underprivileged areas in rural Vietnam, I was glad to give back to Vietnamese communities that lack access to these medical services. Also, It was also really interesting how we learned very life-applicable skills, such as blood pressure monitoring and CPR! I decided to stay in VMO this year because I love the close-knit community we’ve made with one another. It’s amazing surrounding yourself with passionate, like-minded individuals who are all working together to minimize global health inequities by providing aid and relief to underserved communities in Vietnam."
Kathy, Summer 2021
“I decided to join VMO because the organization’s mission statement resonates with my passion in serving the community. Coming from a first-generation Vietnamese immigrant family and hearing their stories about their experience with barriers to health and resources, I grew interested in serving communities that lack access to proper healthcare and those that experience barriers to healthcare (e.g. language, financial, etc). I previously travelled to Vietnam a couple of times before with my family, but I was really excited to visit Vietnam again with my cohort and experience the country from a different perspective and learn more about the healthcare system there. Aside from working towards our fundraising goal and preparing for the trip, I was able to expand my knowledge on public health and acquire new skills, such as learning how to take someone’s blood pressure, through VMO. During our weekly meetings, I got to learn more about health disparities around the world and ethics in medicine. As an undergraduate pursuing a career in the medical field, I found these lessons and discussions a valuable resource. My cohort was unable to go on the trip this past summer, but we were able to contribute to ACWP’s services by funding medical resources for mobile clinics through our fundraisers during the Fall semester (you may have seen us on Sproul selling banh mi!)! I chose to continue my involvement in VMO because of the tight-knit community within VMO! Everyone is very welcoming and I’ve enjoyed all the memories I made with my cohort and board members."
Vicki, Summer 2021
"VMO has a special place in my heart as the daughter of Vietnamese immigrant parents because I’ve seen first hand the disparities in rural Vietnam from visits with my family. VMO strives to “provide free, essential, and sustainable medical and health care to impoverished populations of developing countries.” Although we were not able to volunteer in Vietnam last summer, we still fundraised and donated to Aid to Children without Parents (our partner organization) to provide resources for under-resourced communities in Vietnam. Through VMO I was able to learn more about different systems of health care, disparities in health care systems, as well as technical skills such as measuring blood pressure and CPR. I choose to continue in VMO because I want to continue serving the rural areas of my ancestral land, continue learning more about public health and ways we can help, and also because of the tight-knit community that VMO has fostered to be like a 2nd family to me."
Lilly, Summer 2021
"I joined VMO my freshman year and decided to continue my involvement with the organization because I believe in our mission statement. I am a strong advocate for providing free and sustainable healthcare to underserved communities. In addition, VMO has given me the opportunity to serve alongside other passionate peers and deepen my understanding of global public health concerns."
Joseph, Summer 2019
“I made some unforgettable memories and gained new and interesting perspectives from the trip. I learned how medical volunteer trips must be sustainable and have appropriate medical ethics/limits depending on the volunteer’s medical training. Moreover, I gained an important exposure public health issues, and the health disparities that need to be addressed. I chose to continue my involvement with VMO because I want to continue the sustainability of this project and to continue providing medical resources to underprivileged people in Vietnam."
Taylor, Summer 2019
“As the first student-run organization I joined in my first year at Berkeley, VMO has given me insight on the different public health issues in Vietnam and gave me a space where I could have healthy conversations regarding global public health.
Songnhi, Summer 2019
“My trip with Volunteers for Medical Outreach was both enriching and empowering. I was able to directly witness the health care system in a global setting, as well as develop a better understanding of my cultural identity. I was able to learn more about cultural competency, improve my communication skills and build meaningful bonds with many community members. I am certain that the insight I gained from this trip, whether it stems from my time at the mobile clinics or the orphanage, will make me a better health care provider in the future.”
Gabby, Summer 2019
“My favorite part about our Vietnam trip was providing donations and playing with the little kids at the orphanage and clinics. They melted my heart and made me realize I want to adopt when I’m older, and even perhaps become a pediatrician. Also, I had a really good time bonding with the other trip members and introducing them to some of my favorite Vietnamese foods!”
Lauren, Summer 2019
“My favorite part about VMO and the trip was that we were doing work to immediately help the people through the mobile clinics and make a longer lasting impact through the Hepatitis B vaccinations and educating children and adults about the importance of Hep B vaccinations and brushing their teeth.”
Katrina, Summer 2018
“I joined VMO because I resonated with their mission to provide accessible healthcare. However my Vietnam trip changed my perspective on all aspects of life- education, family, friends, and culture. I am so grateful for this experience and will never forget it!”
Y, Summer 2018
“The trip is really memorable and mind opening. I'm glad we were able to serve thousands of people within a couple of days in each location. My most favorite memory on the trip was seeing children and elders' smiling with gratitude after they received their healthcare service from the mobile clinic that we hosted.”
Helen, Summer 2018
“Photos are a universal language. Even though I wasn’t able to communicate with the children and adults in Vietnamese, we were able to laugh and smile over the pictures I took of and with them.”
Daijah, Summer 2018
“I feel really grateful for the experience because I was able to meet new people and friends who shared my same interest to make a difference. My favorite part of the trip was working with the kids in several clinics.”
Angelica, Summer 2018
“I really enjoyed being able to see my homeland in a way that a normal tourist would not usually see. Taking a boat ride to a rural village, visiting a single-building schoolhouse, experiencing children sing their songs to you and playing duck-duck-goose with them, taking blood pressures of strangers, explaining tooth brushing to neighborhood children — all of these moments were completely new to me, and yet they truly defined the trip for me. There were as many firsts for me as there were for the people I helped over the span of that trip, which is something I almost feel nostalgic about. I look back upon my time in Vietnam as always providing me with a new perspective, which I have carried with me all the way back home to Berkeley.”
Cindy, Summer 2018
“My favorite memory is sharing laughter with the people we served.”
Isabella, Summer 2018
“My favorite memory from the trip would visiting the orphanage. It was very moving to see the girls and get a sneak peek into their lives. They were so friendly and extremely playful. I miss them a lot and hope to come back soon!”
Megan, Summer 2017
"My time with VMO has been such a meaningful part of my undergraduate career. Through VMO, I have gained a close knit community of individuals passionate about healthcare equity, and have learned valuable lessons about global health. VMO is an amazing way to explore the intersections between healthcare inequities, social inequalities, and public health."
Tori, Summer 2016
“When I first joined VMO, I was drawn to the vision of providing free, sustainable healthcare to under-resourced communities. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was diving head first into one of the most pivotal and invaluable experiences of my undergraduate career. VMO is about so much more than volunteer work— it’s about addressing global healthcare inequity, developing critical skills in social advocacy, and empathizing with new people and cultures. Through my time in VMO, I’ve discovered my passion for global public health and learned to live my life with more mindfulness, humility, gratitude, and passion than ever before. I'll forever cherish the lessons I've learned in VMO.”