When Jonathan Andreadakis first stepped into the slums of Faridabad, India as part of a medical mission trip, he was struck by a sobering thought: What happens after we leave?
鈥淚 suddenly realized that while short-term volunteer work is valuable, it doesn鈥檛 always create sustainable change,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what led me to study public health鈥攖o learn how to build systems that continue making a difference long after we鈥檙e gone.鈥�
Now a student at the (COPH) with dual concentrations in and , Andreadakis recently brought that vision to life during a service trip to Medell铆n, Colombia with the (IHSC), a student organization focused on promoting sustainable health in communities abroad.
The trip, part of a long-standing collaboration between USF Health and Universidad CES, sent an interprofessional team of students to Comuna 2, a densely populated neighborhood in Medell铆n facing complex health challenges.
As vice president of IHSC, Andreadakis played a critical role in planning and leading the mission.
鈥淚 found out about IHSC through a graduate student email list and felt my background in international medical work made me a good fit,鈥� he said. 鈥淛oining the leadership team and taking part in the logistics, recruitment and execution of the trip taught me a lot about what it takes to get a project like this off the ground.鈥�
The mission had three primary goals: to improve access to medical care, to deliver health education to the neighborhood鈥檚 residents and to enhance interprofessional collaboration between students from both universities.
Jonathan Andreadakis (third from left) with fellow IHSC students in Medell铆n. (Photo courtesy of Andreadakis)
The team鈥檚 work included a wide range of activities鈥攆rom internal medicine and pediatric consultations to medication dispensing, geriatric exercise sessions, lactation education and cardiovascular risk screenings. They also hosted a two-day community health festival covering topics like reproductive health, first aid, dental hygiene and herbal medicine. In addition, students conducted home health visits tailored to community needs.
Public health principles were woven throughout the effort.
鈥淥ur home visits were structured using public health theory and we used the Health Belief Model, a framework that explains and predicts health behaviors by focusing on how individuals perceive health threats and decide to act based on their beliefs, to design our education stations,鈥� Andreadakis said. 鈥淭he goal was not just to treat, but to inform and empower people to make healthier choices long after we left.鈥�
Medell铆n, Colombia (Photo by Andreadakis)
Despite the trip鈥檚 success, the team faced challenges, including language barriers. With only a quarter of the group fluent in Spanish, students had to rely on non-verbal communication and quick collaboration.
鈥淭hat turned out to be a huge learning opportunity,鈥� Andreadakis said. 鈥淚t pushed us to think creatively about how we connect with others, even when we don鈥檛 share the same language.鈥�
He also noted persistent public health concerns in the community, including stigma around mental health, environmental risks and a lack of reliable health information.
鈥淪eeing these challenges firsthand broadened my understanding of what global health work really entails. There鈥檚 so much effort that goes into even the smallest changes,鈥� he said.
For Andreadakis, the value of interprofessional collaboration stood out above all.
鈥淲orking with students from medicine, pharmacy and nursing reminded me how essential teamwork is in health care,鈥� he said. 鈥淭ogether, we were more effective and made a greater impact.鈥�
He has no plans to slow down.
鈥淚nternational health is my passion,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 will continue doing this kind of work throughout my career.鈥�
To other MPH students considering a similar path, Andreadakis offers this advice: 鈥淚t might seem intimidating at first, but it鈥檚 absolutely worth it. You鈥檒l learn more than you ever expected鈥攁bout yourself, about others and about the power of public health.鈥�
USF Health International Health Service Collaborative
To support IHSC or learn more, visit the organization鈥檚 page.
