Moi Students Train at AMPATH Partners
This year, members of the AMPATH Consortium hosted more than thirty Moi University medical, nursing and health sciences students for clinical rotations in the U.S., Canada and Sweden. In addition to learning the ins and outs of a new healthcare system and culture, the students gained new passions, insights and confidence. They shared their most memorable experiences and how this experience will impact their career.
Asante sana to the faculty, staff and learners at the host institutions for providing these life-enhancing experiences.
Brown University
Timothy Lala and Dan Nyaribo at Brown University in front of the school mascot, Bruno the Bear
Timothy Lala: The most memorable thing I've done so far is getting the privilege of observing an ECMO machine--a machine most people theoretically only get to encounter in books. It was quite satisfying to envision how the function of the alveolar (lung) membrane could artificially be replaced by a machine.
My dream since my 4th year has always been to specialize in internal medicine and sub-specialize in pulmonology. I was lucky to do special rotations in pulmonology for 2 weeks and 4 weeks in internal medicine. During that short period, for the first time, I was able to meet with patients with rare pulmonary diseases such as cystic fibrosis and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Indeed, this experience was a major step towards achieving my dream.
Dan Nyaribo: One of my attendings at Rhode Island Hospital shared a sentiment that I doubt I will ever forget. He said that it's no one's best day if they have to come into a hospital. Appreciating that has helped me learn how to approach patients with greater empathy and help them deal with the emotional distress that comes with being physically unwell.
While I am not yet entirely set on the specific medical specialty I want to end up in, I know what I would like to achieve as a doctor: I would like to be useful to my future patients by giving them the best care that they deserve and to my community in improving the collective well-being of people of all ages, backgrounds and status. My time at Brown University has broadened my perspective on all the ways I could be useful as a caregiver and health advocate. I have learned that health and healthcare coexist in a socio-cultural, economic and political backdrop, which explains many of the differences I have witnessed between Eldoret and Providence. However, the role of a doctor remains largely unchanged. This experience has demonstrated to me that, regardless of the situation, I can always find ways to be as helpful as I can be.
Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin
Silas Nyambega and George Bryan Omondi Oluoch at the sculpture “Spiral of the Galaxy” at Dell Medical School at the University of Texas-Austin
Silas Nyambega: The most memorable experience during my stay in Austin has been the opportunity to participate in patient care from admission to discharge of a patient with a rare condition in pediatric neurology. This hands-on experience allowed me to appreciate the multidisciplinary approach in medicine, seeing firsthand how different specialties collaborate to provide comprehensive care. This opportunity also gave me a chance to witness a fascinating neurosurgical procedure — a temporal lobectomy — as part of the treatment. This experience has sparked a new interest in pediatric neurology, a field I previously knew so little about. It has broadened my understanding of pediatric care and inspired me to pursue further training in this area, with the hope of applying these insights to improve the management of neurological conditions in children in Kenya.
George Bryan Omondi Oluoch: My experience in Austin has been full of memorable events. One of the things that comes to mind is that I got to observe two paediatric heart surgeries, the second being a heart transplant. Seeing a newly transplanted heart start beating slowly from a complete stop to normal pace is a memory that will linger for a long time. I have been thinking about going into internal medicine. This opportunity, if anything, has strengthened my resolve, and I am now hoping that I will go into internal medicine and then cardiology. I have also been able to meet various doctors who I hope to continue to receive mentorship from in the future.
Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine
Joy Chepngeno: The most memorable experience that I have had is getting to observe various minimally invasive surgeries in the operation room particularly robotic surgeries and various video-assisted surgeries. I have also learnt a totally different management approach to sickle cell patients which is really memorable.
Joy Chepngeno and Cynthia B Nyanchoka were the first Moi University students hosted by Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine.
I am really passionate about acquiring the highest quality skills so that I can provide the highest quality healthcare to patients and fill up the niche/gap that we have in healthcare delivery in Kenya. This experience has been really helpful since it has exposed me to how high-quality healthcare delivery and provider training positively impacts the health of a community or population.
Cynthia B Nyanchoka: The most memorable experience I've had so far was witnessing a robotic surgery in action. It showed me that minimally invasive procedures are indeed possible for many conditions and I feel that our patients in Kenya should also have access to such advanced care and enjoy the numerous benefits of such.
In my future medical career, I envision providing my patients with the highest quality of care they deserve. This rotation has demonstrated to me the breadth of comprehensive care and how it can be delivered to ensure that patients receive the best possible treatment and have all their medical problems addressed by the most appropriate and qualified physicians.
Read more about the rotation from the Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine
Indiana University
Camilla Amunga: The most memorable thing I've learnt while here is that one act of kindness goes a long way. I've learnt about all the philanthropic acts the AMPATH donors have participated in and how much it has helped so many patients in Kenya.
I've also gained a different perspective on how to approach patient care that will positively impact my patients now and in the future. This experience has reinforced my passion in neurology. I'm very thankful to the AMPATH community for this opportunity.
Ibrahim Kalema Baraza: This journey has made the idea of becoming a doctor more comfortable by expanding my idea of the paths I could take in this medical journey.
Ibrahim Kalema Baraza, Joyce Wambui Kamau, Camilla Amunga, James Waititu Maina spent six weeks at Eskenazi Hospital and Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis.
Aside from the various specialties, subspecialties and different combinations that I have seen, just the fact that I have been able to experience working in a hospital outside the “school environment” (without having the ever-looming threat of exams and being observed for things that might affect my grade) has done a lot in terms of showing me how being a doctor is different from being a medical student. It has shown me that I don't have to do something big, like join the MSF (Doctors Without Borders) to go to some hardship area or war-ridden area to feel like my skills matter. I don't have to come up with the next big medical breakthrough to find satisfaction. I can find satisfaction in the little things; like showing up to the hospital and doing a check up on a healthy person who turns out to have all normal results. That it is not about me, and not just me.
This is just the beginning and that there are very many ways to feel like I am making a difference, more than I had initially thought.
Joyce Wambui Kamau: The most memorable thing is meeting the Mamlins (Joe and Sarah Ellen) and the Bosins (Tal and Betsy). I was humbled by their kindness. I was awed by their achievements. They challenged me to be intentional about giving back. Interacting with them inspired me to keep pushing despite all the challenges we're facing in Kenya. They were able to impact Kenya during much harder times and this made me so hopeful!
I came with the goal of becoming a gynaecologist or a urologist but after rotating in the hospital my mind has been opened to other options. I am now considering OB/GYN, pediatrics, pulmonology, psychiatry and participating in global health. This opportunity has opened up my mind to see that there are areas in medicine that are yet to be explored and that there will always be something new to learn.
James Waititu Maina: One of the most memorable moments was the dinner with Joe and Sarah Ellen Mamlin. From the sumptuous meals to hearing the inspiring stories of how they’ve spent their lives doing philanthropic work around the world, it was truly fulfilling. Their efforts in founding AMPATH Kenya, establishing several clinics in Kenya, supporting vulnerable young people to achieve their dreams, training young doctors, and developing a medical records system, among other initiatives, have had a significant impact on the Kenyan people. This experience challenged me to realize that I can be the change I want to see in the world.
As someone who aspires to be a surgeon, spending time at Eskenazi Hospital has shown me the impact of minimally invasive procedures on patient recovery. This experience has opened my mind to the importance of technology in surgery, and I look forward to being part of this transformation in Kenya.
Coming soon: Students who visited Duke, Indiana University (nursing) Linköping University, Mount Sinai, Stanford, University of Toronto and the University of Virginia share their reflections.