KUMASI, GHANA–For Chaz Wick, an extremely premed neuroscience major, summer means service. Along with other Ohio State students, Chaz has traveled to operate a volunteer-run medical clinic in rural Ghana for the second summer in a row.
“I’ve faced a lot of adversity on this trip,” Chaz says, casually leaning against a doorway in his Birkenstocks. “The Wi-Fi here is only good enough for me to save one Snapchat streak per day, so I’ve had to sacrifice a lot to be here. I have to share a bed with another dude, but its fine because we tell each other ‘No homo’ every night before we sleep.”
Like Chaz, most of these students barely passed Organic Chemistry 2 last semester, but what they lack in proper scientific education, technical training, or any experience whatsoever, they make up for in spirit. Every morning, they open to the doors of their clinic and offer medical screenings to a community that has apparently never been fortunate enough to receive medical care from anyone except white teenagers. As they saunter around the area in their bright turquoise scrubs, the group stands out—like a lot.
“My grandma calls me a hero—but I’m uncomfortable with that term,” Chaz says. He pulls out his iPhone X. “Hey, look at this neat photo I got with this awesome kid. His name was Jawad. Or maybe Jamal? I don’t remember. I felt bad for him, so I gave him $20 to take home to his family. Kid looked so happy! He’s probably never seen so much money in his life. I had my friend Brad take the pic on portrait mode while I was handing him the money, so it’s totally a candid. I think I’m gonna use it to replace my profile picture from last year’s trip.” A quick Facebook search pulls up his old profile picture: a smiling college student giving a piggyback ride to a laughing African child that is way too familiar for anyone with a premed friend.
Another blonde head pops into the hallway and calls for him. “Aw shit dude, I gotta go,” Chaz apologizes. “I’m going to deliver a child for the first time, and I’ve never even seen a vagina before!” He runs off, but the scent of white savior complex lingers.
Written by Alicia Bao, Treasurer