Children supported through life-changing surgeries.
Serving the underserved
Medical and educational missions grounded in service.
Serving the underserved in our local communities and developing countries by addressing their medical and educational needs.
Founded in 2007, MEMO is comprised of volunteer students, physicians, and other health professionals who organize and fund programs in Vietnam as sustainable ways to improve the health and well-being of others.
Our Mission
MEMO seeks to serve the underprivileged by addressing their medical and educational needs.
Read About MEMOHow The Work Shows Up
The organization funds clinics, heart surgeries, dental care, scholarships, orphanage support, hepatitis B education, and local programs.
Explore ProgramsHow Support Moves
The annual gala, sponsors, donors, and chapter communities help carry this work from year to year.
See Gala & EventsImpact in motion
Support becomes clinics, education, and sustainable help.
MEMO's work is built to connect fundraising with measurable medical and educational support for underserved communities.
16
annual mission trips documented by MEMO
45
clinics organized across mission history
27,500+
patients seen across 14 provinces
600
student volunteers who have taken part in mission work
Programs
Programs that meet urgent needs and invest in what comes next.
Every main program from MEMO's history is represented here, with detail pages that connect donors to real impact.
Medical Mission
Free health clinics, assessments, treatment support, and referrals in underserved communities in Vietnam.
Explore ProgramHeart Program
Funding life-changing surgeries for children with congenital heart disease.
Explore ProgramDental Program
Providing cleanings, fillings, extractions, and oral-health education.
Explore ProgramHope Program
Supporting orphanages with healthcare, supplies, and direct material assistance.
Explore ProgramScholarship Program
Keeping students in school through scholarships and essential school supplies.
Explore ProgramHepatitis B Program
Supporting hepatitis B education, awareness, screening, and prevention.
Explore ProgramLocal Programs
Serving Southern California through health fairs, preventive outreach, and volunteer-led service.
Explore Program
Built for continuity
Student-run, humanitarian, and built to serve.
M.E.M.O. (Medical, Educational Missions and Outreach) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, student-run, humanitarian organization that seeks to serve the underprivileged by addressing their medical and educational needs.
Founded in 2007, MEMO is comprised of volunteer students, physicians, and other health professionals who organize and fund programs in Vietnam as sustainable ways to improve the health and well-being of others. MEMO also aims to grow social responsibility among younger generations in the United States by spreading awareness of poverty and the need for service.
Vietnam + Local Communities
Programs span mission work in Vietnam and service in MEMO's local communities.
Students + Clinicians
Volunteer students serve alongside physicians and other health professionals.
Alumni + Sponsors
Long-term continuity comes from the wider community sustaining the mission.
2025 Mission
Photos from the 2025 Vietnam mission now lead the front page.
This section gives the homepage a stronger sense of real work on the ground while the rotating hero image keeps the first impression fresh for returning visitors.
Stories & Updates
Stories from the field, the campus, and the community.
The update system now has room for mission diaries, program milestones, gala recaps, and community stories.
Clinic Days
Clinic Day 1 (7/24)
After an arduous bus ride to Tra Vinh and setting up M.E.M.O.'s mobile clinic the day before, Clinic Day 1 started bright and early at around 5:45 AM. Since the hotel was roughly 45 minutes away from the clinic site, we had to be on the bus by 6:15 AM. Prior to beginning clinic, it was known that the first day is the least busiest day out of the 3 clinic days since not as many patients come. This turned out to be a blessing since it allowed us to experiment with the structure of clinic and gather our bearings before it became more hectic in the following days. For the first day, I was assigned to Psychiatry with Dr. Lu Le, and our main job was to ensure that patients were being properly screened for possible mental health complications while in line waiting to enter clinic or while waiting for a general consultation from one of the physicians inside clinic. Those on Psychiatry had to make sure that patients who needed to see Psychiatry (based on their responses to the mental health intake form) did not trickle through the cracks and leave clinic before having a session with Dr. Lu Le. As such, our responsibilities consisted mostly of directing patients from the general consultation area to Psychiatry or other specialties.
Read story
Clinic Days
Clinic Day 1 (7/24)
I woke up around 4:55 AM for our very first clinic day, ate breakfast, and boarded the bus with all our 16G volunteers! We had a 40-minute drive to the clinic venue in Tra Vinh. Shoutout to Sheirica, who found my glasses on the bus that I had thought I lost! We received a pep talk from Dr. Bui and Dr. Le, who emphasized the importance of the "Four Agreements". I was stationed in Vitals to take patient's cholesterol levels and helped to translate, and it was inspiring to watch fellow 16Gers practice a different language throughout the day and communicate with patients as best they could! We got many laughs and patients called them "cute". For many patients, this was their first time receiving healthcare services, and some were initially frightened by needles and the testing they received before seeing a physician. One of the patients, an elderly female, began crying and hid her face in her sweater as her finger was being cleaned by a fellow MEMOber. Initially unsure of what to do but guided by putting myself in her shoes, I went over and held her other hand, comforting her in Vietnamese and talking about other subjects as a distraction. As the procedure concluded, she thanked all of us as we guided her towards the next station for a provider to interpret her results. A large part of providing care to such a community involves realizing the impact of small actions that comfort - kindness is truly a universal language!
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Clinic Days
Clinic Day 1 (7/24)
AHHH CLINIC DAY ONE IS FINALLY HERE!!! Last night, I found out that my first role was in the pediatric department, so I was super excited to meet all the younger patients. With all that built-in excitement, waking up at 5 AM wasn't too hard despite the fact that it was, well... 5 AM. Before I headed out, I recited all the viet questions I could ask the children like "Em ten la gi?" "Em may tuoi?" "Em thich an mon gi?" For breakfast, I had a small banana and some yogurt, which actually held me over pretty well until lunch. As we headed to the clinic site, I noticed the same excited energy radiating from everyone else. We were all eager, half-asleep maybe, but definitely ready to take on the long day!
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Annual gala
The event that helps fund the year ahead.
Open Our Hearts is MEMO's largest annual fundraising event. It brings together students, alumni, sponsors, families, and healthcare professionals to celebrate the mission and support the next chapter of work.
18th Annual Open Our Hearts Gala is set for Saturday, April 18, 2026 at White Palace 2.
Tickets are required. When purchasing a ticket, please provide the attendee names, dietary restrictions, and seating preferences.
16th Annual Gala
The 2024 gala highlighted the strength of MEMO's community, sponsors, volunteers, and advisors.
View Gala15th Annual Gala
The 2023 gala continued the organization's long-running fundraising tradition.
View Gala14th Annual Gala
After a pandemic hiatus, MEMO returned in 2022 with a gala that renewed community momentum.
View GalaGive with MEMO
Give once. Support monthly. Keep the work moving.
100% of your donation will go towards our medical and educational missions. This section is designed to support secure online giving so donors can contribute quickly and stay connected to the mission.