What do YOU believe are the greatest issues impacting global health? This question may seem overly academic, but viewed through the lenses of Haiti’s recent catastrophe makes the inquiry much more relevant. I find that people – especially medical people – often respond with statements like HIV or malaria or malnutrition. Myself, I prefer […]
During medical school I met with a group of classmates to identify the one most impoverished, under-served location on the entire planet. We selected Burkina Faso – at that time called Upper Volta. This nation is located in West Africa in the midst of the Sahara Desert. As a resident physician I worked with
This morning I’m with the Ingrams’ magazine photographer, snapping shots for INMED’s reception of their magazine’s Heros In Healthcare Award. Through all this consideration of background, lighting, and whether my tie is straight, I’m thinking of all the unrecognized heros whose entire life and lifestyle is a testament to the power of faith and
The day following Haiti’s earthquake I received this message from Dr. Jim and Sandy Wilkins, who have served at Haiti’s Christianville Medical Clinic since 1999: “Our house fell down while we were in it. Our clinic building is half down. We worked for 24 hours straight, suturing and bracing fractures. 5 died here, 2
I am pondering that fact that healthcare professionals who want to serve the very poor often need to renew or broaden their expertise – those skills in public health, leadership or divergent specialties they once learned, but have not used in the years since their careers became more focused. This requires a commitment to
Television coverage of the Haiti crisis, competing for airtime against Sports Central and American Idol, creates a compelling contrast. It all makes me want to see more men who define themselves by a calling higher than simple self-gratification. Certainly we all must attend to our legitimate personal needs. But guys, enduring satisfaction will never
Maggie Higgins, daughter of INMED’s Board Member Ted Higgins, was volunteering at INMED’s training site, Haiti Health Ministries, when the earthquake struck. Today she wrote, “Last night, a flood of people were showing up. I’ve been doing a LOT of nasty wound irrigations and debris removal. I basically took out a cement plant from
Yesterday, as the shadows were growing long, an earthquake of enormous intensity, 7-8, struck Port-au-Prince, Haiti. While CNN reports hundreds of thousands killed, I’m most concerned over those whom I personally know on this island nation. Sandy and Jim Wilkins have lived in Haiti 1999 and along with their Haitian national staff, serve at Haiti
I received several questions this week from international-minded medical students regarding what specialty to select. Wonderful are your intentions over how to best prepare yourselves for a life of serving! My short answer is, choose the specialty that most interests you. There exists the misconception that only primary care specialties are appropriate for medical
I am impressed this week with the surge of inquiries about volunteering, even studying, at Bach Christian Hospital in the mountains of Pakistan. In contrast to the continuous requests for placement in Africa (I call this the ‘Bono/U2 Effect”) it is a confirmation that people indeed realize that enormous needs exist in other continents as well. Bach