The Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) Global Surgery Program has partnered with George Hospital to form an exchange of skills and research by establishing an international rotation for surgery residents, lasting for two months at a time. Residents from MUSC have continuously been traveling to George since 2023, continuing the relationship by establishing outreach efforts, clinical workforce, and support with research endeavors. During my time in George, I will continue two established efforts started by my colleagues. The first is an effort to integrate and troubleshoot a newly designed, low cost option laparoscope using existing materials widely available in George. The second is to continue writing an awake endoscopy protocol we can use at MUSC for bedside endoscopy, the methods which have been modeled in several outreach communities in George. It will make a difference both in George and at my home institution, providing a bidirectional exchange of information, ideas, and skills.
The population of George, South Africa and the surrounding communities of Riversdale, Knysna, Mosselbay, and Oudtshoorn will benefit from my surgical and research experience, as there is a national shortage of general surgeons in South Africa. In the Western Cape, which includes George (a population of about 12,350 people) but also the large city of Cape town, there are about three general surgeons per every 100,000 people. The citizens of George as well as the medical system and healthcare teams have become integral to surgical education and the mission of training global citizens and surgeons at MUSC, and I am looking forward to continuing work there.
In a low resourced area, every additional person that can offer skills and healthcare can make an impact, and I am dedicated to understanding how I can help lessen the burden. By providing my time and effort to the existing projects started by my colleagues at MUSC, I can continue to support the longevity of the surgery residents participating as a form of ancillary support and global connection in George. The work will continue after I leave, as there is another resident traveling to George after me. I plan to present my work at U.S. based medical conferences to advocate for additional global health support and to demonstrate how important it is to learn from physicians and health systems internationally. In South Carolina where I live and train, there are also several areas with extremely low surgeon per population density, and the larger hospitals and cities cannot accommodate the amount of transfers needed to care for everyone in rural areas. It is important for me to bring the solutions used in the outreach, mobile clinics in George home to South Carolina so that when I go into practice I have more ideas and realistic plans for how I can personally make an impact at home.
The Medical University of South Carolina Global Surgery Program has partnered with George Regional Hospital since 2023 to form an exchange of skills and educational opportunities through a two-month general surgery rotation for residents. During my time in George, I had the privilege to work with Dr. Hugo Stark and his team to continue surgical outreach efforts in the Western Cape. In a model focused on bringing care to the patient, Dr. Stark’s team holds scheduled outpatient clinic and provides endoscopic and surgical skills to the neighboring hospitals of Riversdale, Knysna, Mosselbay, and Oudtshoorn. Rather than expecting each hospital to provide needed equipment and materials, Dr. Stark’s team takes portable endoscopy, supplies such as dressings and surgical mesh, and has extended their electronic documentation system to ensure communication and follow up. The efforts have forged a strong bond between the local and regional hospitals, as Dr. Stark’s team is well-known for showing up not just to provide scheduled surgeries but also helping with consultations and clinical questions while they are present. I also was able to be a part of their monthly effort to support patients who need surgery for breast cancer through Project Flamingo. By dedicating a Saturday to exclusively offer breast operations on a volunteer basis, the George team is able to expedite medical and surgical care. The experience changed my paradigm about what it means to be a, “provider,” of care, as it demonstrated the impact of bringing resources to patients in need rather than expecting them to travel for help. Although separated by vast distances, we experience similar adversity when it comes to delivering patient care, and it was incredibly inspiring to work with the George team as they find a solution. I am excited to continue growing as a global surgeon at home and sharing all I have learned from our colleagues in South Africa!
