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
Today I’m talking with two undergraduate students in non-healthcare fields about their interest in medical missions and in volunteering their skills. How wonderful to witness the altruism of these people! Their virtuous desires at age 20 may well result in compassion towards thousands of individuals in the future! As for the near term, I’m
Remember when you dreamed big? Peace Corps worker, concert pianist, research scientist, international medical volunteer. Remember when thoughts of grand accomplishments inspired your mind and energized your efforts? Weren’t those exciting, life-giving days! What’s happened to your big dreams since then? In all likelihood, life happened. Your dreams moved to second, even third
Since returning from Angola, I’ve been caring for patients at Research Medical Center, here in Kansas City. Very often, they present with fever. Here, the causes I first think of are influenza, bronchitis, and the common cold. But in Angola, I’d first be concerned about malaria, typhoid and pneumonia. Knowing what’s common in a given community
This Christmas Day I am thinking of INMED’s faculty living and serving in some of the world’s most marginal communities: Tim Myrick (Middle East), Earl Hewett (Ghana), Steve Foster (Angola), Dennis Palmer (Cameroon), Paul Gray (Ethiopia), Jean Young (Ghana), Charlie Besley (Kenya), Victor Fredlund (South Africa), Bob Matthews (Tanzania), Rory Wilson (Uganda), John Spurrier (Zambia),