Fanning the Flame for Medical Missions

There is a growing global need for trained health care professionals. According to the World Economic Forum, there will be an estimated shortfall of 10 million health care workers by 2030, primarily in low- and middle-income countries. 

Samaritan's Purse, a Christian humanitarian aid organization headquartered in Boone, North Carolina, and Cedarville University are stepping up to meet the world’s growing medical and spiritual needs. 

For the third year in a row, Samaritan’s Purse sponsored Cedarville University nursing students to attend its annual World Medical Missions Prescription for Renewal Conference in Orlando, Florida. This year, it sponsored several physician assistant (PA) students as well. 

The conference gives doctors, dentists, nurses, emergency workers and students from diverse backgrounds a forum to connect, refresh and discover their calling to medical missions. 

Twelve nursing students, four physician assistant (PA) students and faculty members from both programs attended the conference. They heard from doctors, spiritual leaders and medical missionaries from around the world. Breakout sessions covered short-term and long-term service, spiritual growth and raising a family on the mission field. 

Speakers included medical professionals Dr. Richard Furman, cofounder of World Medical Mission, and Dr. Lance Plyler, chief medical officer at Samaritan’s Purse. Spiritual encouragement to answer the call to medical missions was given by Franklin Graham, founder and chief executive officer of Samaritan’s Purse, and Dr. David Jeremiah, founder of Turning Point Ministries and graduate of Cedarville University where his father, the late Dr. James T. Jeremiah, served as president. 

This conference fits well with the mission of health care programs at Cedarville University. The nursing and PA programs prepare students to care for the whole person — physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. 

“Our mission is to be the hands and feet of Jesus wherever we are, whether we are in the United States or overseas,” said Lisa Smithers, associate professor of nursing. 

Smithers serves on the Global Outreach Fellows Committee at Cedarville, a panel of faculty from diverse programs that work with the Global Outreach office to strategically use their fields of study to take the gospel to the nations through every field of study. For several years, she has served as leader of Cedarville’s Global Outreach medical mission trip to the Philippines, where they focus on serving mothers in labor and delivery and throughout the pregnancy and postpartum process. 

Every student who attended the conference has already participated in medical missions, and several have plans to take their profession to the mission field after graduation. 

Kassidy Applegate, a senior nursing student, served in both Guatemala and the Philippines with Global Outreach this past summer.  

“The Cedarville nursing faculty prepared me well, and the trip to the Philippines proved to me I wanted to be a midwife and clarified the calling God had placed on my heart to be a missionary,” said Applegate. “The Samaritan's Purse conference was an amazing opportunity that helped grow my knowledge of the broad areas in which I could serve in the future.” 

Second-year PA student Julia Anderson volunteered at a free health care clinic in her hometown while earning her undergraduate degree and spent two weeks serving with a clinic in Peru.  

“Cedarville’s PA program has played a crucial role in preparing me for this calling,” said Anderson. “I believe God used the Prescription for Renewal Conference to clarify God’s call on my life and to affirm my future in medical missions.” 

Located in southwest Ohio, Cedarville University is a Baptist university with undergraduate programs in arts, sciences, and professional programs, and graduate programs. With an enrollment of 6,384 students in 175 areas of study, Cedarville is one of the largest private universities in Ohio and is recognized nationally for its authentic Christian community, rigorous academic programs, including its Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) and Master of Medical Science in PA Studies (M.M.Sc.-PA), and high graduation and retention rates. For more information about the University, visit cedarville.edu.