April 20, 2016

by Pat Rees

It’s Wednesday and I am in the clinic today with just one resident, with both Dr. Zach and Dr. Jen in the operating room with the other resident team. This week, first Jen, then Dr. Renee and Dr. Izzy, and now Dr. Zach have been able to come back to work following their very educational trip to Greece. All have spoken about how great the lectures were, how nice the food was, and how great the weather was. I have seen their faces glow as they talk about seeing old friends there and renewing fellowship with them. It is wonderful to see how refreshed they all are and that there is excitement as they talk about new things they have learned and how that might make patient care better here in Bongolo.

The whole pace of both the operating room and the clinic have “picked up” and it is fun to see the residents a little less relaxed than when it is just me here helping them. They are measuring their answers more when they are questioned. They are being more detailed when they talk about patient issues. The morning conference we had this AM was much more learning based and we discussed lots of physiology with a pointing towards the upcoming resident exam. Yes, I could see the residents squirm a little as they were thinking and having to really dig deep for the answers to the questions. THIS is a learning time and a training time and a testing time for the residents. I am so impressed with how both Dr. Zach and Dr. Jen are guiding these young minds and young hands. I know that there has been some concern on their part that they are not enough staff on their own to make this a good program, but I have total faith in them. It is going to take a lot out of them physically, emotionally, spiritually … but I think they are going to do a great job. I will still pray that the Lord sends them at least one more surgeon (and preferably two) to help with the load, but I know that God can sustain them for the work ahead. It is so good to see them “in action”, as I have only met them briefly before. (They are the surgeons that I have, in the past two visits to Bongolo, been covering for.)

The operating room as they are performing a Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy.