I am entering my final year of general surgery residency and look forward to the privilege of joining Dr. Peggy Schrieber on her surgical mission to Mwandi, Zambia. For over 25 years, Dr. Schrieber has collaborated with this community to deliver high-quality healthcare services while improving hospital infrastructure and development. A number of my peers have had the opportunity to attend this trip with her, and all speak very highly of this life-changing experience.
I plan to travel alongside a multi-disciplinary team to the rural community of Mwandi, Zambia, for two weeks to perform many essential and impactful surgeries. These efforts will make a huge difference in the quality of life for these patients who may otherwise not have access to care. It is a great honor and privilege that I have the opportunity to work with this population. Furthermore, I will have the opportunity to learn about the ongoing efforts to provide access to clean water, sustainable and reliable energy, and the expansion of infrastructure. I will evaluate patients in the preoperative setting, assist with planning the OR schedule, actively participate in procedures and surgeries, and see patients in the post-operative setting.
Mwandi is located in the Western Province of Zambia. The population who are served at Mwandi Mission Hospital often travels great distances and makes many sacrifices to be seen by our team. The teams that have worked at Mwandi Mission Hospital in the past have made great progress in improving healthcare access and hospital infrastructure within this vulnerable, resource-limited community, and I look forward to being a part of this mission.
The mission statement of the Mwandi Mission Hospital is to provide "sustainable, life-saving health solutions for the Mwandi community". This is an incredible opportunity to give back to those who may otherwise never have access to care due to multiple barriers. In the US, we have an abundance of healthcare resources at our disposal. I look forward to learning more about sustainable practices and providing care in more austere environments. These will be extremely important lessons to me in my future career. I am also looking forward to learning more about the practice of global health in developing and maintaining responsible, longitudinal relationships. I look forward to this opportunity.
Our time spent at Mwandi Mission Hospital was incredibly rewarding. We were able to perform a total of 70+ cases a little over one week. These cases included: minor procedures done under local anesthetic removing lipomas and other soft tissue masses, umbilical and inguinal hernia repairs in adults and children, and thyroid lobectomies for large goiters. The local staff that we worked alongside were compassionate, friendly, and eager to learn from our team. Our patients had traveled from near and far to receive care and their patience and gratitude towards our team was incredibly uplifting. This was the experience of a lifetime for me and reminds me of the incredibly important work that we can achieve in general surgery. As I enter the next part of my training in fellowship for surgical critical care/acute care surgery, I hope to make global health a priority in my future practice and career. It was inspiring to see all of the developments that have been made at Mwandi Mission Hospital over the years and learn about the exciting upcoming projects.
As a resident, I am extremely grateful for the Doximity Foundation for providing me with the financial support to attend this trip. Thank you for supporting our case and continuing the promote the next generation of medical leaders.
