OUR HISTORY
Medical Experience Through Service in Healthcare (MESH) initiated in Spring of 2012 with a very simple idea: to serve as the bridge between UCLA students to communities of need in LA. MESH saw a need for genuine volunteer work that would make an influential impact in the welfare of the community and the lives of volunteers. Although MESH started out in 2012 being an organization that focused on the bridging the gap between UCLA students and the community of LA, 5 years later, MESH is taking on health disparities halfway across the world. We are incredibly proud of the work our organization has been able to achieve thus far, and are looking forward to continuing our commitment to service!
2012
MESH set forth in developing relationships with Venice Family Clinic in establishing Clinical Assisting positions. Within the year, MESH gained 25 valuable members that began to spread the mission of improving the community through clinic assisting.
2013
MESH took a bold move and developed a public health program that aimed to serve the community directly through educational presentations and community outreach. MESH’s first public health relation was with American Diabetes Association where it established Project Power, a proactive community-based diabetes mentorship program. Soon after, MESH established further relationships with American Heart Associations where a similar mentorship program was set-up. By the end of 2013-2014 academic year, MESH had established relationships with five non-profits: American Diabetes Association, American Heart Association, Maryvale Residential Homes, AmeriCorps, and Cambodian Health Professionals Association of America.
2014
By October, MESH had seven fully functioning projects up and running: Project Venice, Project ADA, Project Heart360, Project Maryvale, Project Health Fair, Project AmeriCorps, and Project Clinical. MESH stood strong with over 60 volunteers, ready to hold its first mission trip in June of 2015.
2015
MESH was refit to have 5 projects: Project Maryvale, Project Pediatrics, Project Venice, Project Healthfair, and Project LIFE. Project Clinical became Clinical Assisting, and a new mentorship program with mentor and mentee pairings within MESH was set up. In summer 2016, 9 MESH members went on the third Cambodia Service trip in partnership with Sustainable Health Empowerment (SHE), providing health education, visual aid, dental care, and prosthetic arms.