I will be traveling to the Universitas Gadjah Mada in Indonesia from the University of Iowa Emergency Medicine Residency program. During this project, I will work in Puskesmas (Primary Health Centers) in Bantul, Yogyakarta, which provides a 24-hour emergency clinic as well as maternal and pediatric services. My focus will be on enhancing community health and medical education. This will include leading health education sessions for community members, focusing on critical topics such as antenatal care, management of chronic health conditions, and preventative care. Additionally, I will conduct home health visits in rural areas to provide follow-up primary care, perform health assessments, and address barriers to accessing healthcare.
As part of the medical education focus of this trip, I will collaborate with the Family Medicine Residency program at the Universitas Gadjah Mada through bedside teaching and lectures. These efforts aim to enhance residents’ knowledge and skills in emergency medicine.
There is a critical shortage of primary care physicians in Indonesia to meet the vast healthcare needs of the population, particularly in rural areas. This project will primarily serve the patients in communities of Bantul, Yogyakarta as well as the Family Medicine residents at the Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM). UGM is one of Indonesia's oldest public research universities located in Yogyakarta. In 2011, the University of Iowa developed a partnership with the Faculty of Medicine, with a focus on strengthening primary care education.
The expected impact of this project is to improve medical education and healthcare delivery in a resource challenged setting. By working closely with the Family Medicine residents at the Universitas Gadjah Mada, I hope to strengthen their knowledge and clinical skills in emergency medical care. In the absence of a formal Emergency Medicine residency program at their university, this initiative will help equip future primary care doctors with the tools to effectively manage acute and emergent conditions in this region.
This project will further enhance the partnership between the Universitas Gadjah Mada and the University of Iowa. With another resident from our program scheduled to visit later this year, this trip will lay the foundation for creating sustainable improvements in medical education.
