Vietnam

TRAVEL DATES:

May 19 – June 20, 2025

GENERAL INFO:

Each summer, a Mercer On Mission team travels to Vietnam to fit amputees with prosthetic legs and hands. Developed by professor Dr. Ha Van Vo, the devices use a universal socket technology that is low cost, lightweight and durable. This Mercer On Mission program has changed the lives of more than 13,000 amputees since it began in 2009.

Meeting a Need

In Vietnam, hundreds of thousands of residents have lost limbs and face challenges every day related to their loss. Many injuries resulted from unexploded landmines left after the Vietnam War, traffic and industrial accidents, snake bites and diabetes complications. Some amputees use ill-fitting and heavy prosthetics or crutches to help them navigate the world. Others have no devices or tools to assist them.

Mercer's work in Vietnam is improving amputees' quality of life. And the new prosthesis allows many to return to work to support their families.

What You'll Do

Mercer students, faculty and staff are helping amputees move again through the Mercer On Mission program in Vietnam.

The Mercer On Mission team will set up clinics with its in-country partners in Vietnam. Prior to travel, student participants will learn how to fit amputees with the Mercer universal prosthesis. This will allow them to work independently abroad with the help of translators.

Once in the country, students will work with patients from beginning to end, receiving hands-on experience throughout the fitting process. They will teach patients to walk with their new prosthetic devices, and see the joy patients experience when they do. Students also will collect data on amputee gait using electromyography and 3D gait analysis systems.

In addition, participants will triage patients and assist in treating orthopedic cases, including fitting disabled children with orthotic braces. They will help pharmacists dispense medicine and help patients with physical therapy to assist in their rehabilitation. Students may also distribute food and medicine to the needy.

Participants will learn about the local culture through sightseeing and attending at least one cultural program during the trip.

Upperclassmen and Vietnamese speakers will be given priority. Freshman applicants must demonstrate exceptional qualities to be considered.

View photos and videos from past trips on Facebook and YouTube.

We were able to be super hands-on. Everyone got their own patients every day. We would do everything from the beginning to end for the fitting process, and then we had the professors there to assist us as well if we had any questions.”

Nyny Hoang

Biomedical Engineering and Spanish, '25

Academic Courses

Students are required to sign up for six hours of credit. The registrar will enroll you in courses for your program, including one class from each of the program's faculty.

For non-engineering students:

BME 291: Prosthetic Design, Biomechanics of Amputees and Clinical Fitting of Prosthetics
BME 292: Instrumentation for Clinical Fitting Prostheses

For engineering students:

BME 491/591: Prosthetic Design, Biomechanics of Amputees and Clinical Fitting of Presthetics
BME 492/592: Instrumentation for Clinical Fitting Prostheses

For graduate engineering students:

BME 691: Advanced Orthopedic Rehabilitation — Clinical Fitting of Orthopedic Braces

Faculty

Dr. Ha Van Vo – Eminent Scholar, Distinguished University Professor, and Professor of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering
Dr. Edward O’Brien – Professor of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering
Trung Le – Research Associate in Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering
Bich Nguyen – Research Associate in Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering