At the forefront of medical services in many developing countries stands the missionary nurse, and in many cases missionaries who are not nurses, but are called to provide health care for needy people.

The Missionary Medicine Intensive is designed to equip missionaries with diagnostic skills and appropriate treatments. The course enables the missionary to do physical exams, and to process the information gathered to come up with an accurate diagnosis, and a recommended treatment. A new benefit is that CEUs are now awarded from the following states: MI & WA.

Dr. Mary Vanderkooi spent years of her life researching and preparing the course text, the Village Medical Manual, as a tool for both nurses and non-medical missionaries. How long is the course and what is involved?
 

Midwifery

The Missionary Medicine Intensive is conducted over a period of two weeks.  The program starts with an orientation on Sunday evening and ends on the Thursday in the early afternoon two weeks later. When we use the word ‘intensive,’ that is exactly what we mean.  Every evening after dinner you will be doing homework and case studies until 10 pm.  During the class time both an instructor and an assistant will be present.  They will also make themselves available in the evenings to guide you through the case studies.

For the duration of the course all your time and energy will be focused on equipping yourself for service, therefore we cannot allow children to accompany you or release you except on the weekend for any other tasks.

This course is designed for both missionaries who have committed themselves to the task of sharing Christ through medicine, as well as for those missionaries who are concerned about taking good care of their families in less than ideal circumstances. While we are an interdenominational mission, we also are distinctly Christian. There will be a brief time for devotions each day. We encourage you to be in the church of your choice on Sunday. In all that we do, we will seek to keep our focus on the Lord and to remind ourselves that as we minister to the poor and the sick, we minister to Him.

Lectures, hands-on labs, and case studies are used to equip students in the basics of diagnosis and treatment. Subjects covered include patient evaluation, logic of diagnoses, infectious diseases, medical emergencies, nutritional diseases, common diseases, lacerations, and midwifery. 
 

Bandaging	Suturing

Labs will give students experience in physical examination, suturing lacerations, injections, calculation of medicine dosages and rehydration fluids, stomach tubes, splinting, bandaging, improvising equipment from available materials, sterilizing, and developing personal medical kits.

Use of case studies enables students to become proficient in diagnosing and treating common and tropical diseases. Cases and labs are assigned based on the level of medical experience as well as the geographic area of service. Additional, in-depth lectures and labs are provided for those with more extensive medical experience.

It is the goal of the Appropriate Technology Institute to teach missionaries a lifestyle of community, simplicity, and responsibility. 

This course is not only offered at our North Carolina Training Center where we control the cost, but also at our retreat center The Knoll in Vancouver, Canada.

Accommodations are in shared dormitory rooms at Equip's Providence Farm or a retreat center on Vancouver Island in Canada. In keeping with our philosophy of ministry, you should expect simple accommodations and healthy, hearty meals. Meals are not provided on the weekends. 

Bring your own toiletries, linens and pillows. All expenses for the course are covered in the fees. Participants invariably want to take advantage of our other resources such as our hard-to-find books, so bring your checkbook. 

When you come, expect to meet God. He will come to you in the most unexpected ways...through the lives of staff and students, and in the quietness of your own heart.

We have excellent resources here at Providence Farm in our A.T.I. library. Our staff of instructors are always willing to answer your questions, find solutions to at least some of your problems, and of course refer you on to those who can help you with those problems beyond our ability to solve.