Oregon Tech Nuclear Medicine students travel to Indonesia for global health project

Tevin Glover, Gabby Halgren, Alumna Vindy Sermumes, Rick Hoylman, Will Duarte

Three students enrolled in Oregon Tech's Nuclear Medicine program joined Professor Rick Hoylman on a two-week trip in August to Indonesia to help improve healthcare through education.

Hoylman and junior students Will Duarte, Gabby Halgren, and Tevin Glover traveled to Jakarta and Bandung, Indonesia, with RAD-AID International, a nonprofit organization focused on providing medical imaging services in under-resourced areas.

Oregon Tech team at Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo
National Central Public Hospital in Jakarta

Hoylman, who is the Program Director of Oregon Tech's Nuclear Medicine and the Nuclear Medicine Director for RAD-AID International, explained that the trip was designed to teach the students about how healthcare and nuclear medicine are different in other countries.

"I wanted our students to see how medical imaging is done in Indonesia and to learn about the challenges healthcare workers face there," said Hoylman. "This experience was about more than just learning, though; it was about understanding the global need for better healthcare services."

Oregon Tech Nuclear Medicine Club President Will Duarte was most surprised by how hands-on the trip was as a student.

"Traditionally, volunteer trips like this primarily involve physicians, technologists, or educators," Duarte said. "As students, I expected to be more of an observer, but instead, we were fully immersed in daily activities. We provided hands-on assistance, offered insights, and even delivered professional presentations to an international audience of over 10,000 people. This level of involvement was an incredible, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I will always cherish."

While in Indonesia, the students gave presentations on nuclear medicine to staff at Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo National Central Public Hospital in Jakarta. Hoylman said the experience highlighted the need for more education and training in nuclear medicine, especially in countries like Indonesia, where such education programs do not exist.

"Our students were able to see another culture, work with healthcare professionals in another country, and even reconnect with an Oregon Tech graduate who now works in nuclear medicine in Jakarta," Hoylman said.

Oregon Tech Team at Bandung Conference

In a surprise addition to the trip, staff at the hospital arranged for the students to accompany Hoylman to Bandung, where he was presenting at a conference. Students also met with local dignitaries and toured the cities of Bandung and Jakarta.

"We had a discussion with the Indonesian Radiographers Association regarding how RAD-AID might support future curriculum development of their own Nuclear Medicine Technology programs," Hoylman said. "This is an area I hope Oregon Tech students and alumni can be involved in. The impact can be huge and significant not only for countries like Indonesia, but also in countries like Kenya and all of East and Central Africa. To impact nations and continents in this way is something worth investing in."

The students' trip was supported by a Faculty Creativity Grant from the Office of the Provost at Oregon Tech.

"Trips like this provide students with a transformative opportunity," Duarte said. "Not only does it serve as a valuable refresher of our skills, but it also allows us to work alongside an esteemed organization like RAD-AID International, honing our professionalism and expanding our knowledge of nuclear medicine. The experience also broadens our understanding of cultural diversity and strengthens our commitment to global healthcare."

In the coming months, Hoylman and the students will share their experiences with the Oregon Tech community and present their findings at conferences. He also hopes to expand future trips to include students from other programs, allowing more people to take part in global health projects.

For more information on how to support or get involved with RAD-AID International, visit www.rad-aid.org.

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