How To Conclude Your Medical Mission With Your Team Members and Leaders

I. THE PURPOSE OF HOLDING A DEBRIEFING MEETING WITH YOUR TEAM MEMBERS

1. To share the reality of God during the mission as well as spiritual insights
2. To conclude with team unity
3. Review blessings and highlights
4. Encourage introspection as to how individuals have been impacted by this mission
5. To obtain feedback on anything viewed as negative in order to possibly improve on future missions
6. To address any conflicts early rather than ignoring them
7. To evaluate the ground and local contacts or vendors
8. To increase efficiency in the flow of the clinic

II. WHEN TO HOLD THE MEETING

There are 2 types of evaluations focused on different groups: the TEAM and your LEADERSHIP

There’s no one right or wrong time to hold your debrief or evaluation; however, here are some points to consider:

1. TEAM meeting (all members, including leaders)

• At the very end of the trip – last day or meal together while still in country OR
• At the airport while waiting to board and everyone is waiting at the gate OR
• Upon your arrival home, at your home based church, the weekend after your return home

2. LEADERS meeting (only leaders)

• After each day AND
• At the very end of the trip – prior to the member’s meeting in order to discuss the team also AND
  Upon arrival home – prepare a brief presentation in order to share with your chucrch of your experiences

III. HOW TO HOLD THE MEETING

1. VERBAL communication in group discussion

• Beware that while you get immediate feedback, you may also not get ‘the truth’

2. WRITTEN communication on an individual basis

• This fosters more truthful responses
• Allows the member time to contemplate both the positives and negative experiences
• Serves as a written log of ‘things learned’ when pts submits their thought s
• Beware that many do not turn in their forms