I will work at Salcedo Doctors Hospital in Salcedo, Philippines, in conjunction with local OB/GYN attending physicians, fellows, residents and students to foster a two-way educational relationship. I will be focused on teaching GYN laparoscopic surgical skills, as well as evidence-based pre-op and post-op care. Additionally, I will be bringing one of my program's OB/GYN resident physicians as a global health educational experience for her.
Eastern Samar, Philippines is one of the poorest provinces in the Eastern Visayas region, with minimal access to women's health care. The nearest tertiary health care center is a 3-4 hour drive away. We will be working in a 25-bed hospital that, because of this program, is now equipped with a labor and delivery bed, an operating bed, endoscopy equipment and health IT infrastructure. This partnership is not a medical mission but is meant to be a bidirectional educational experience-- that is sustainable-- and serves the healthcare providers and women/families of Eastern Samar, Philippines.
I will be one of American physicians who will be working directly with local Salcedo doctors building capacity by teaching laparoscopic surgical skills, preop and postop care. I will be providing obstetrics care as needed as well. During our time in Salcedo, we will maximize OR time-- we will be caring for the women who would otherwise have limited access to GYN surgeries. I will gain experience caring for women in a resource-limited sitting, where clinical decision making requires adaptability and innovation; additionally, working alongside Filipino healthcare providers and patients will deepen my cultural competence which will improve my clinical practice back at home. Finally, since I will be bringing a resident on her first global health trip, I hope to inspire her to pursue a global health career like mine!
During our week at Salcedo’s Doctors Hospital, our team performed a range of major and minor gynecologic surgeries, expanding access to essential care for women in Eastern Samar. Equally important, we had the opportunity to train two newly graduated OB/GYN attendings at a pivotal stage in their careers. By strengthening their laparoscopic surgical skills, we are helping build local capacity to provide minimally invasive gynecologic surgery and improve access to high-quality care for the Eastern Samar community for years to come.
