LEXINGTON The Wednesday, November 19, 2025, meeting of the Lexington Medical Society at the Signature Club in Lexington featured two events: an International Medical Missions Symposium and the annual PastPresidents gathering.
Speakers at the symposium included LMS president Hope Cottrill, MD, Thomas Young, MD, and symposium panel members Joathan Barko, MD, Ryan Huchow, MD, and Melody Ryan, PharmD, MPH.
Young related the history of US-based global volunteerism starting with health camps in South America for over half a century, beginning as early as the 1900s. Then began government- supported outreach in the 1960-80s, followed by non-government organizations (NGOs) from 1990-2000s with the modern, community-based, sustainable models now dominant in both South America and Africa.
Missionary fervor was peaking 1925 with more than 1,000 missionary-physicians from America and Europe. In the aftermath of the Nigerian Civil War in 1967-70, the organization Doctors Without Borders was founded and worked with the Red Cross and World Health Organization.
Services offered on the global missions include medical and dental brigades, oral surgery, plastic surgery, ophthalmology, and orthopedic care, said Young.
He described the many motivations underpinning global volunteerism such as: service to others, a shared community, making a difference, mentoring a new generation of medical providers in the U.S. and globally, and enhanced cultural understanding and humility, plus the adventure of challenging oneself and joy.
Young talked about Shoulder to Shoulder Global (STSG), an organization he founded in 2009, which is part of UK’s International Center that according to its website, “integrates academic and community partners both at home and abroad to improve the health and well-being of underserved communities in Ecuador and near Nairobi, Kenya. With 17 years of patient care in Ecuador, Shoulder to Shoulder volunteers have provided 113,000 medical consultations, 25,000 dental consultations, and 46,000 patients attended.”
Global opportunities for STSG mission trips in 2026 include March 14-21 in Tena, Ecuador; May 16-23 in Santo Domingo and Ecuador; June 6-13 in Kenya; and August 8-15 in Santo Domingo and Cotopaxi, Ecuador.
The cost per person is $1,695, excluding air fare. Medical liability and evacuation insurance is provided by STSG. Young said that all providers are welcome, but a special need is for primary care physicians, certain specialists, nurses, pharmacists, and physical therapists.
