Operation Border Health Preparedness serves local community

RIO GRANDE VALLEY, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A group of University of Texas Rio Grande Valley medical students, faculty, and staff provided needed medical services to underserved areas of the Valley.

The medical students were part of the 25th anniversary of Operation Border Health Preparedness (OBHP), an initiative organized by the Texas Department of State Health Services.

The initiative brought medical care to South Texas residents who might otherwise not have access to important preventative services such as vital screenings, immunizations, hearing tests, vision exams, medical exams and others.

Held in locations such as Brownsville, San Juan, Rio Grande City, Raymondville, and Laredo, OBHP is a volunteer collaboration between the UTRGV School of Medicine, Hidalgo County, Cameron County, and several other local partner organizations, that provide health care services at no cost to residents.

“This event provides our UTRGV medical students with an excellent opportunity to gain hands-on experience while serving the communities where they live and study, and someday, will work as doctors,” said Dr. Kelsey Baker, assistant dean of Pre-Clerkships and assistant professor of Neuroscience at the UTRGV School of Medicine. “This is a practical part of our School of Medicine’s commitment to academic medicine.”

Weslaco native and first-year medical student Maci Oestreich said volunteering at the event was a rewarding experience that al...