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Christopher Smith

Chris Charla

Charla CO-Chair 2023-2024

Hi! My name is Christopher Smith and I am from Point Pleasant, WV. I am a junior majoring in Biomedical Engineering with a minor in Molecular Medicine.

I first heard about WVU's Global Medical and Dental Brigades from a presentation last year in one of my classes, given by none other than current Medical President, Sandrik Tabidze. I have always been one who is looking to make the most of my college experience, both for myself and for others and I felt this organization gave the perfect opportunity to do so. Going into the organization and brigade last year I didn't really know any of the other students, however during the experiences I quickly became close with everyone in the organization and it became a second family to me. Here I formed what I am sure will be long lasting friendships. Early on, during preparations I was unsure if I had what it takes to be successful on the brigade, however, thanks to the lectures and group meetings we were able to prepare as a large group and complete a successful brigade. During the brigade to Panama, I got the opportunity to learn a lot about the country and culture of the area while working alongside peers. This experience allowed me to learn a lot more about myself and others. As a part of this organization I helped out at local food drives and took the Sociology of Health and Medicine course where I was able to learn a lot about Sociology and the goals of this organization. Overall this experience, organization and the beliefs behind it are worth looking into and I highly encourage you to check out the Global Brigades main page and consider applying. If you have any questions feel free to reach out!