Anyone interested in global health education should check out Child Family Health International. It was recommended to me by my school's Director for Global Health.
CFHI offers programs in South Africa, India, South America, and Mexico. In the fall, I participated in their Health Care Challenges in Cape Town, South Africa. As a medical student, I worked for two months in secondary district hospitals: Victoria Hospital and G.F. Jooste Hospital. Pre-medical students had an additional option for a preceptorship at Eerste River Hospital. Rotations are with South African medical students and residents. It could either be specialty specific or exploratory.
I worked in the medicine department at Victoria Hospital and orthopedics in Jooste Hospital. My rotation in internal medicine was along side 4th and 6th-year University of Cape Town medical students. We rounded, discussed cases, worked-up patients, performed technical duties for residents, had classes, and bedside tutorials. Without MRIs, CTs, and U/S equipment for the department, doctors relied heavily on history and physical exams for diagnosis and treatment. There were a predominant number of patients with HIV/TB and young patients with terminal illnesses.
At Jooste, I worked closely with residents admitting patients in clinic and assisting in theater. Most patients were involved in community violence, motor vehicle injuries, or complications associated with HIV/TB. The staff was engaging and accessible.
CFHI students boarded with a middle-class Coloured family in Vanguard Estate. They provided meals, sleeping quarters, and an initial introduction to the history of Cape Town. A driver transported students to and from the hospital. To explore the rest of South Africa, students have to rent their own vehicle or hire a taxicab. Public transportation is not advised due to security concerns. CFHI local directors have weekly meetings and can be reached at anytime for questions or concerns.
Cape Town is a tourist destination and accommodates vacationers with scenic views, historical bus rides, museums, beaches and nightlife. The CFHI directors will take paying students on a tour of the Eastern Cape and the Winelands if the group is four or more.
The program is an excellent medical education and cultural experience for students willing to study independently and engage respectfully with staff and the communities they serve. As much as I wanted to learn how medicine is practiced and explore Cape Town, I was also an ambassador to my country and to my profession. I had a wonderful time exchanging clinical approaches and sharing American cultures with newfound colleagues and friends. I highly recommend CFHI Health Care Challenges in Cape Town, South Africa for students and graduate health care providers.
CFHI offers programs in South Africa, India, South America, and Mexico. In the fall, I participated in their Health Care Challenges in Cape Town, South Africa. As a medical student, I worked for two months in secondary district hospitals: Victoria Hospital and G.F. Jooste Hospital. Pre-medical students had an additional option for a preceptorship at Eerste River Hospital. Rotations are with South African medical students and residents. It could either be specialty specific or exploratory.
I worked in the medicine department at Victoria Hospital and orthopedics in Jooste Hospital. My rotation in internal medicine was along side 4th and 6th-year University of Cape Town medical students. We rounded, discussed cases, worked-up patients, performed technical duties for residents, had classes, and bedside tutorials. Without MRIs, CTs, and U/S equipment for the department, doctors relied heavily on history and physical exams for diagnosis and treatment. There were a predominant number of patients with HIV/TB and young patients with terminal illnesses.
At Jooste, I worked closely with residents admitting patients in clinic and assisting in theater. Most patients were involved in community violence, motor vehicle injuries, or complications associated with HIV/TB. The staff was engaging and accessible.
CFHI students boarded with a middle-class Coloured family in Vanguard Estate. They provided meals, sleeping quarters, and an initial introduction to the history of Cape Town. A driver transported students to and from the hospital. To explore the rest of South Africa, students have to rent their own vehicle or hire a taxicab. Public transportation is not advised due to security concerns. CFHI local directors have weekly meetings and can be reached at anytime for questions or concerns.
Cape Town is a tourist destination and accommodates vacationers with scenic views, historical bus rides, museums, beaches and nightlife. The CFHI directors will take paying students on a tour of the Eastern Cape and the Winelands if the group is four or more.
The program is an excellent medical education and cultural experience for students willing to study independently and engage respectfully with staff and the communities they serve. As much as I wanted to learn how medicine is practiced and explore Cape Town, I was also an ambassador to my country and to my profession. I had a wonderful time exchanging clinical approaches and sharing American cultures with newfound colleagues and friends. I highly recommend CFHI Health Care Challenges in Cape Town, South Africa for students and graduate health care providers.
