My Reflection: A Fellow's Experience on Ethiopian Global Health Elective

My global health elective to Ethiopia was a transformative experience to partner with the organization, World Medical Missions. Their assistance was invaluable in facilitating an academic enrichment experience to observe surgical care in an under- resourced setting. I was invited to teach and learn from local orthopedic surgeons. Their sense of community extended to the local medical professionals, who worked closely together to provide the best possible care for their patients. Their dedication and resourcefulness in the face of challenging circumstances were truly inspiring as I gain an appreciation for high quality surgical care at a low cost.

Learning in a resource-poor community required me to think critically, adapt, and make the most of the limited resources available to us. This often meant finding creative solutions to medical challenges and learning to prioritize care based on the resources at hand. It was a humbling experience that taught me the importance of flexibility and resourcefulness in the field of medicine.

The Ethiopia-based elective was a profound and rewarding experience that reaffirmed my commitment to service and education. I am grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of meaningful global engagement and look forward to continuing to contribute to strengthening global surgery capacity in the future.