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Anesthesia Mission Work
- Thread starter imfrankie
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I did some work with Operation Smile a while ago in conjunction with the military. Extraordinary experience, even though we did our level best to bone up the logistics (long story there). Once I'm out of the Navy and have the schedule freedom to commit to anything for more than a week at a time, I'll definitely spend some more efficient time with them. I got to work with a couple of their regulars as a resident in Norfolk, too. Good people.
Lots and lots of military medical outreach in Iraq and Afghanistan before my anesthesia residency. Good intentions, lots of smiles and handwaving, poor results at best. I dread the thought of being part of that sort of thing again.
Lots and lots of military medical outreach in Iraq and Afghanistan before my anesthesia residency. Good intentions, lots of smiles and handwaving, poor results at best. I dread the thought of being part of that sort of thing again.
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Got involved with op smile as an undergrad, look forward to helping them out again in the future
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Completely agree. Just got back from Hanoi, Vietnam doing cleft lip/palates. Can't wait to go again next spring.
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I do it everyday where I currently work: I consider all of my "self pay" patients to be "mission work." The experience has never been rewarding....
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Check out the SPA website http://www.pedsanesthesia.org They have a disorganized link but voluminous.
Some stuff periodically comes up on gaswork also. CURE is a great organization I've worked with.
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Ungrateful demanding litigiously-threatening slang-speaking meth-mouthed unwashed jerks with self-inflicted disease evoke a very different response in me than 3rd world kids with cleft lips. It's nice to take care of people who genuinely appreciate your work; it's too bad that the American poor around my location are less pleasant on average than 3rd world poor.
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I was in Haiti earlier this month at Hopital Albert Schweitzer. It was a great experience. If anyone's interested, drop them a line as it seems like they're always looking for anesthesiologists.
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Anyone ever work with Drs Without Borders? It seems like they usually want at least a 4 week commitment for anesthesiologists. I think it would be great to do after residency, but my spouse is a little hesitant about me going to the 3rd world.
You dudes/dudettes out there that find time out of your busy schedules to travel afar and live/work in substandard conditions for the unfortunate should be nominated for sainthood.
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Do you mind telling me about the Schweitzer experience. I may be able to go in the next month or two. I'd really appreciate hearing about it.
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I just got back from a month in Tanzania as a CA-3.
Best month of residency by far.
The posts above don't do justice to the fulfillment you get from delivering care to patients who need it-- not to make money, not because the gov't says you have to, but because they're equally human and need your help. You don't have red tape (for the most part) and they don't expect perfection-- just your best effort.
2 y/o kids hold their hand out as you put in an awake IV
Guy with femur fracture is told he is put off until tomorrow because the OR is out of steril cloths says nothing except, "I will be back in the morning".
My experience included giving a ton of lectures to anesthetists, rounding in the ICU, and helping with the 6 ORs. I saw incredible pathology managed with very limited resources. People die all the time for reasons you can't imagine.
EVERY American has so much more than they appreciate, and yet we ALL complain. Many people who will never have as much material wealth as each of us has at this moment do not project the victim-entitlement that is everywhere here.
There are always 10 good reasons NOT to go (kids, job, car payments, NBA playoffs...), but I've never met ANYONE who regretted deciding to do mission work in light of all these "reasons". BTW, my "reason" not to go was that I came back to a 37wk pregnant wife who was "left" with a 16month old... She was a missionary too!
PM if you want more info.
Best month of residency by far.
The posts above don't do justice to the fulfillment you get from delivering care to patients who need it-- not to make money, not because the gov't says you have to, but because they're equally human and need your help. You don't have red tape (for the most part) and they don't expect perfection-- just your best effort.
2 y/o kids hold their hand out as you put in an awake IV
Guy with femur fracture is told he is put off until tomorrow because the OR is out of steril cloths says nothing except, "I will be back in the morning".
My experience included giving a ton of lectures to anesthetists, rounding in the ICU, and helping with the 6 ORs. I saw incredible pathology managed with very limited resources. People die all the time for reasons you can't imagine.
EVERY American has so much more than they appreciate, and yet we ALL complain. Many people who will never have as much material wealth as each of us has at this moment do not project the victim-entitlement that is everywhere here.
There are always 10 good reasons NOT to go (kids, job, car payments, NBA playoffs...), but I've never met ANYONE who regretted deciding to do mission work in light of all these "reasons". BTW, my "reason" not to go was that I came back to a 37wk pregnant wife who was "left" with a 16month old... She was a missionary too!
PM if you want more info.
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