Everything has a beginning and ending. Today was my last day at the Macha Mission Hospital. There was no doubt that I learned so much being here for 4 weeks, and got a lot of hands-on experience. It was much more than an “international medicine” rotation – it was summary of various rotations such as surgery, anesthesia, radiology, OB/GYN, pediatrics, internal medicine, emergency medicine, family medicine, infectious disease… List continues. In a way, I was so glad that I did this rotation at the end of my 4th year of medical school, because I knew a little bit of something, and I knew what I did not know! However, this rotation gave me the most confident to be a physician, and I definitely got a clear idea of what my near future is going to be like!
I have a mixed feeling of leaving Macha. I am excited to be back in Lusaka and travel for a few days with my friends and then continue my journey to Zimbabwe for a few weeks, but I also feel there are so much more that I can learn, and there are a few patients I admitted who are still in the hospital – especially a 2 year-old kid with severe malnutrition. Just before leaving hospital, I went to see him. He looked much better and is gaining weight. I wish he recovers quickly.
Today was also the LAST DAY of being a medical student!! No more short white coat, but no more excuses… A scary thing! I decided to leave my white coat behind, and give it to someone working at the Macha Mission Hospital. The white coat is no longer white, especially being in an African country, but it has many stories. Good bye, short white coat. Good bye Macha, and thanks for the awesome time!!!
