INTERNATIONAL SERVICE LEARNING
5813 Ralston Ave. Phone: 816-767-0481
Kansas City, MO 64133-3447 Fax: 816-313-0671
Website: www.ISLonline.org E-mail: info@ISLonline.org
March 28, 2006
Re: Michael Narodovich
To Whom It Concerns,
I have been asked to provide a recommendation/reference for Michael Narodovich. It is a privilege to be able to relay what I know about this young man.
Michael participated in a dental/public health program July 3-16, 2005 sponsored by International Service Learning (ISL). His participation in this program involved performing medical service work in very challenging circumstances in Costa Rica and Nicaragua. His participation as a member of our team was a blessing. He was a positive leader in all respects. More importantly, he had a heart for the people he served. They responded with acceptance and expressed gratitude.
That Michael would give his energy and time to the cause of the poor in so many different but always trying circumstances, speaks volumes about his character, sense of service, and personal integrity. In addition, his maturity and ability to handle not only the difficult but the unexpected tells me he’ll do well in any endeavor to which he applies himself. He also displayed a clear ability to manage not only himself but the responsibilities he was given in terms of work and service, even seeking and handling additional responsibilities. Michael participated in hands-on dental care including exams, extractions, and cleaning. In addition he did community health surveying helping the patients to understand the basics of dental hygiene for a healthier life.
Academically, Michael seemed to easily grasp the subjects and topics of our preparatory seminars. He also displayed an enthusiasm for learning and genuine intellectual curiosity for medical information.
In summary, I wouldn’t hesitate to have Michael as part of any program/team with which I was affiliated and I am confident you will find him to be an outstanding candidate for yours as well. He’s dependable and solid in the face of difficulty and a general pleasure to be with.
I will also attach to this letter a brief description of the medical service Michael and others performed as members of our team. If I can be of any further assistance in his evaluation, please contact me.
Sincerely,
Rev. Michael W. Birnbaum
Executive Director
FIELD MEDICAL PROGRAM SUMMARY
International Service Learning (ISL) provides the following medical service/learning activities as part of the normal routine in our programs for Central America, Mexico, and Africa. Please note that not all students will necessarily participate in every activity, as this is not an artificial or "practice" program—it’s the real thing. We perform service in the field as dictated by the needs at hand under sometimes difficult and always unpredictable and challenging circumstances. ISL works in full coordination with local health officials who direct our teams to specific locations, often with last minute changes. If there is a specific activity required by an academic credit program, please notify ISL twenty days in advance of departure.
Experiential Activities (under supervision and with training at all times)
- Blood pressure/pulse monitoring
- Diabetes screening with glucometer
- Patient interviews and triage
- Injections (not available in all locations)
- Basics of tropical medicine examination/diagnosis/prescription/prevention
- Parasitological examination/diagnosis/prescription/prevention
- Tooth extraction
- Tooth filling (not available in all locations)
- Community health surveying
- Dental - eye - parasitic hygiene education presentations
- Basic pediatric ear/eye/nose/throat exam.
- Hypertension and diabetes screening - house to house
- - Basics of pharmacy management and drug prescribing
- Environmental medical surveying
- Practice and history of indigenous medical techniques and medicines
- Primer – Medical Spanish
7/5/05
