They say a person knows when a rocket is about to hit by its unmistakably loud screeching sound. Hearing it for the first time sent shivers down my spine; the resulting explosion shook my home to its foundation. It was the morning of my last month in Syria and the event that sparked my interest in the field of surgery. I helped transfer the injured to one of the few remaining hospitals in Damascus. Unfortunately, there was only one surgeon available that day. However, Dr. Sawsan’s heroic actions and perseverance helped save many lives. Seeing how she quickly realized the urgency of the situation yet remained calm and involved in her patients’ care opened my eyes to what it truly means to be a serving surgeon.
Shortly following the incident, I moved to the United States in the hopes of chasing my surgical career in a safe place with a better future. Throughout my work in college and medical school, I quickly realized the impact medical providers can have on patients, especially those with limited access to care. I continued to be heavily involved in the field of voluntarism and medical education.
This mission trip to Hospital Nacional de San Benito, provides me with the opportunity to continue using the technical skills and critical thinking I have acquired throughout my training career to improve others’ quality of life, especially in an area with very limited access to resources. During this trip, we plan on performing operations for both adults and pediatrics patients. These operations include, but not limited to, cholecystectomy, herniorrhaphy, and mass excisions to patients who otherwise would not have been able to get these operations. We hope that with these operations, we can be the change in these patients’ lives and provide them with another chance to live pain-free with no limitations or fears of further illness. We also hope to provide education to medical staff at HNSB to optimize the use of the limited resources while delivering high quality of care
Guatemala, just like Syria and many other developing countries, continues to battle daily with the limited available resources in the health care sector. El Peten, is a small town in the suburbs of Guatemala where HNSB is located. Unfortunately, more than 60% of Guatemala’s population lives in poverty. The lack of financial means, along with the restricted access to medical devices and technologies, makes it challenging for patients to receive one of the most basic human rights, access to health care. I visited Guatemala in 2024 and quickly fell in love with the hospitality of its people and the fascinating history of the country. These people reminded me of the Syrian people whom I grew up with, welcoming and willing to help despite the lack of means.
Working closely with Dr. Huerta, the founding surgeon of Aid Via Action, and other members of the organization, we scheduled around 40 operations to be completed during this mission trip. Throughout the selection process, we targeted patients who have been struggling with these surgical conditions for a while and who lacked the means to take care of their own health. We aspire to not only impact the residents of El Peten, but also the medical staff in the region by sharing our experiences with them. The access to health care is crucial, but unfortunately, remains as a void waiting to be fulfilled in developing countries. Guatemalan hospitals are filled with skilled and dedicated surgeons who possess incredible skills, yet they are limited by a severe lack of resources.
This surgical mission trip to Hospital Nacional de San Benito is not a single trip, but rather a long-term project aiming to bridge the gap between patients and the medical society in Guatemala by eliminating healthcare disparities in El Peten region specifically. Through Aid Via Action, we are dedicated to invest in the foundation of Guatemala’s healthcare system. By providing crucial resources and fostering educational opportunities, we empower local physicians to deliver the high-quality, compassionate surgical care their own communities deserve, creating a lasting and self-sufficient impact. Closing the healthcare gap is done through a three-pronged mission: providing immediate, essential surgical care; strengthening the local healthcare infrastructure for long-term self-sufficiency; and fostering medical education.
Furthermore, I aim to play a crucial role in introducing the concept of minimally invasive surgery. Numerous studies have shown that minimally invasive approaches to surgical conditions are associated with better health outcomes, faster recovery, and less strain on the healthcare system. Unfortunately, minimally invasive surgery not only requires surgeons who are trained in minimally invasive operations, but also the laparoscopic tools needed to complete these operations safely. Through fundraising, we hope to secure the funds needed to supply those devices and through hands on teaching and professionally made lectures, we hope to plant the seed for a safer, and minimally invasive approach to managing surgical conditions in Guatemala.
During the 8th Aid Via Action mission trip to the Regional Hospital of San Benito in El Peten, Guatemala, we were able to complete a total of 53 operations. These operations included a wide variety of cases from inguinal and umbilical hernias to urology cases and even included pediatric surgery cases.
As a Syrian immigrant, having experienced firsthand the challenges of limited access to healthcare and resources in developing countries, this mission was both personally and professionally fulfilling. It provided me not only the opportunity to share insights from my training in the United States, but also to grow as a surgical resident and learn from both the patients and staff at the Regional Hospital of San Benito.
I have come to appreciate the many comforts we often take for granted in the U.S., from uninterrupted electricity to access to specialized surgical care and a wide array of instruments and suture types. I will forever cherish this experience that allowed me to experience the overwhelming sense of gratitude from the patients, who were finally able to have their surgical needs addressed at no cost.
I am eager to continue my involvement with the AVA organization and to participate in future missions, particularly in the expansion of the pediatric surgery program at the Regional Hospital of San Benito, where we hope to provide much-needed surgical care to an increasing number of children in the coming years.
I am forever grateful for the Doximity founding for supporting me financially and giving me the opportunity to participate in such a fulfilling work.
