During my upcoming trip to Malawi, I will serve as an educator and instructor for the country’s local anesthesia providers. My responsibilities will include enhancing their foundational knowledge of anesthesia, assisting in the development of a longitudinal general and obstetric anesthesia curriculum, and supervising the implementation of simulated anesthetic trainings.
The primary objective of my time there is to support the advancement of anesthesia practices with the aim of improving surgical outcomes. Our broader goal is to help reduce surgical and obstetric mortality rates and to empower local providers to sustain and continuously improve their services independently, without long-term external support.
This project will serve both the patient population of Malawi’s capital, Lilongwe, as well as the surrounding communities. Additionally, this project will support the development and continued training of anesthesia providers at the regional referral hospital. These patient populations experience elevated surgical and obstetric mortality rates, primarily due to limited healthcare resources and a shortage of fully trained anesthesia professionals.
We anticipate that, following our involvement, the local anesthesia providers will be able to maintain an updated model of anesthesia care. Moreover, they will be equipped to implement changes in their practices that can contribute to reduced surgical and obstetric mortality rates. With new computers and soon-to-be operational WIFI access, we will expand upon established interdepartmental communication and expand longitudinal educational training between our Anesthesia department and the health officers in Malawi.
During my medical mission with UNC Anesthesiology to Kamuzu Central Hospital in Lilongwe, Malawi, our team partnered with local clinicians to support anesthesia care for a wide range of surgical cases while simultaneously strengthening education and training for future providers. We delivered lectures and hands-on medical simulations for student anesthesia clinical officers, helping reinforce core principles of safe perioperative care. In addition, we worked closely with the local anesthesia faculty, introducing them to high-fidelity medical simulation and guiding them through how to design, run, and debrief advanced simulation sessions. The experience was a meaningful blend of clinical service, teaching, and capacity building, aimed at supporting sustainable improvements in anesthesia practice.
The impact of this trip was felt across the students, faculty, and patients we served. Student anesthesia clinical officers expressed greater confidence in their clinical decision-making after participating in realistic simulations that challenged their skills in a supportive environment. Local faculty gained new tools and teaching methods that will help sustain high-quality training long after our departure, enabling them to integrate high-fidelity simulation into their curriculum independently. Patients benefited from our collaborative work in the operating rooms, where shared knowledge and teamwork helped enhance the safety and quality of anesthesia care. Ultimately, the trip fostered growth, empowerment, and strengthened partnerships that will continue to improve perioperative care within Malawi. I am hopeful I will be able to return again and continue to expand on our mission.
Thank you so very much to the Doximity Foundation for making this all possible.
Sincerely,
Patrick Einhorn, MD
