Annelise Olsen, CEML‘s youngest general surgeon, expresses an inspiring persona. She embraces style, whether in clothing, cooking or lively conversation. Annelise embodies medical excellence, devoting her judgment and procedures to our patient’s best welfare. And she advocates for the global health virtue of sustainability: giving our willing learners ample opportunity to develop their own skills under her keen supervision. I speak from experience. It was she who taught me the procedure for suprapublic prostatectomy.
I first met Annelise a few years back when she came to CEML as a resident physician. Like many considering a career serving disadvantaged people, this early experience was formative. Annelise’s skill in Portuguese and eager learning orientation were clear. Later, she returned as a Post-Residency Fellow with Samaritan’s Purse. And today, Annelise is an essential part of our career staff. I enjoy being on call, knowing I can summon her for assistance. As Dr. Olson likes to say, “I’m on back up for hell.”