A new perspective from Malawi
Kathryn Kerr, Embangweni Hospital, Northern Malawi
Tell us about your placement: Embangweni's a small hospital facing some big challenges: malaria, TB, HIV and a chronic lack of fuel, power and gloves. It's incredible how much you can learn about medicine from dedicated staff in a resource-poor setting.
Medical students are welcome and you can essentially design your placement to suit your interests. I spent a week in each of the paediatrics, maternity, primary health care and male wards before returning to maternity for my last four weeks.
The staff were all eager to teach me and would let me know if something particularly interesting or unusual was happening. I could get as involved as I wished, and I spent far more hours there than were required because I was getting so much out of the experience.
I was able to visit surrounding villages for ante-natal clinics, and so I got to see a bit of life in rural Malawi (and enjoy the local staple, nsima, which appears with every meal and which is not dissimilar to Clag). Oh and if you're in theatre after hours, you get a free Fanta.
Of course it was hard going. A baby or a mother were lost most days, usually because resources that are abundant in Australia just weren't available, and I just don't know what to say about that. I didn't get a lot of sleep.. But the experience was one of the most valuable of my life so far, both personally and professionally, and I hope to return to Embangweni.
In short: if you're interested in tropical medicine, have a vision of yourself jumping out of an MSF helicopter at some point in the future, or just need a break from "the itchy patient", then Embangweni is the place for you.
Tips for making the most of this placement: You'll spend a lot of time without power, water and contact with the outside world so make sure to pack a torch, some baby wipes and your untwistable knickers. And take some gloves. As many boxes as you can carry.
