| . | . |
| TRAVELLERS' TALES: MEDICAL INTERNSHIPS |
GHANA |
| . | . |
| . |
PROGRAMME CASE STUDIES &
FEEDBACK
|
|
|
David McCaffer / Medical Work Experience - Ghana / British |
||
 |
 As
far as the medical experience goes, there's only so much textbooks can do
for you. Just being here has increased my knowledge tenfold and I've learnt
new skills such as taking blood and doing different lab tests etc. Living in
Ghana itself is an amazing experience; the culture just forces you to make
some changes to your personality just to get by. I've never been used to
people just coming to me and talking to me in the street, it will be weird
going back to where that's not quite as acceptable.
The diversity of what I'm doing is definitely the top plus. There is so many things I can do in the hospital and can do each of them for as long or short as I like. So I really am getting an all round learning experience. If medicine is your thing I would definitely recommend this project. And experiencing such an interesting culture as the Ghanaian culture. This placement would suit
somebody
interested in medicine, obviously, but really a caring person who isn't
afraid to just be a nuisance and ask plenty of questions about what's going on
around them, because the people here are more than happy to answer them all Can you describe a typical day? You can't really describe this place with a typical day, things are happening all the time! As far as hours, the standard is 8am to 4pm with lunch whenever you want to take it and going back to work after you've finished chatting with the rest of the friendly staff. The administrator at the hospital suggested doing 2 weeks in the lab, pharmacy, dentist and wards but has no problem at all with you finding other staff members willing to take you on for however long you like such as the xray, treatment room & going round with doctors. |
|
|
Kate Malia / Medical Work Experience - Ghana / British |
||
|
This placement has been rewarding work
experience for me and it has made me determined to get a qualification so
that next time I can truly work, rather that observe. For anybody wanting
a career in medicine this is an excellent opportunity and I would
recommend it. My first impression of the hospital was shock. I was
surprised by how nice it seemed, expecting something far more run-down. By
the sound of it, this is quite largely because it is a private clinic. The
hospital itself is more of a large doctors-surgery, just with a few
specialists, a lab and an X-ray machine. I spent the first week both in the main pharmacy and in the lab. Although the pharmacy was interesting, I am pleased now to have moved onto something new. In the lab I learnt a lot and was able to help in a number of the tests being done. It was also whilst working in these areas that I realised how different things are run from hospitals and clinics in the UK. Everyone at the hospital has been really friendly and has made us feel welcomed. We have been invited around to one colleague’s house and other has suggested doing something on the weekends. I have spent the last three weeks observing the general practitioner in the consultation rooms. I began doing this after only one day with the nurses doing ward rounds. As there was nothing for me to do or see, the nurses had suggested and organised it. Sitting with the doctors has been excellent; I’ve found it really interesting for my future. The consultation is spoken either in English, Ga or Twi, but the GPs have been good at explaining any non-English speaking cases. I have also learnt a lot watching the doctors, not only about how to take a patient history and make diagnosis but also about the common illnesses in Ghana. I am quite confident that I could recognise all the symptoms and even know what medicines to prescribe for some. The doctors have been more that willing to explain everything to me and along with everybody else, have been friendly and welcoming. After spending some time with various
specialists we have spent the final 2 weeks of the placements with GPs
again. Everyone has been willing to have us observe and have been keen to
explain to us. The ENT specialist also invited us to Korle Bu (the
Government Teaching Hospital) where we observed consultations and sat with
medical students as they practised their clinical skills both in
consultation rooms and the wards |
||
|
Craig Barrington / Medical Work Experience - Ghana / British |
||
 |
The
experience of living in a developing country was something I never imagined
it would have been like. From living where I did I definitely felt like I
became more independent. At the hospital I gained more experience working
in a medical environment than I ever thought I would have. I was able to
work in the lab, pharmacy, wards, with the doctors, x-ray room, treatment
room, surgery and on the OPD! I learnt so much when out there and it was
very useful to be able to put what I learnt at university into practice! I
experienced how hospitals work in Ghana and what improvements are needed out
there for all patients to be able to get first class treatment! I always
wanted to work in a developing country when I fully qualify as a doctor and
this trip has increased that determination! Also I was able to tune my
silent actions, when kids or other people didn’t understand English and
having to communicate with sign language.
I enjoyed every day,
even
having malaria and typhoid at the same time! The thing that always sticks
out when people ask me what the best thing was is the death that I experienced when
at work and how I was asked to help in taking care of the body. The reaction
to the family and the treatment of the body at the morgue (it was awful!).
Also when patients were informed about being HIV positive, this enabled me
to be able to see the reactions of patients and act on their emotions, if
that makes sense!? I would
definitely recommend this placement to any other student wanting to get into
medicine. It would suit someone
who is outgoing, sociable and prepared to work hard Can you describe a typical day? Up at 07.00, showered in the cold water! And then had breakfast while watching BBC news 24 for half an hour. Left for work to be there for 08.00 getting a taxi or walking if have time. At work it’s a matter of signing in and then heading to the department you are working in and letting them know you have arrived. Work until around 12.30 before having an hour lunch break and then work again until 16.00. After close spend about an hour chatting to the staff and then head home. I then played cards with some local guys and drank their homemade gin until the sun went down and dinner was ready. The evening depended on whether we went out for the night or stayed in. Bed was usually around 00.00-01.00. We lived with the best family ever and couldn’t have asked to live anywhere else.
Got any questions? Please email us: |
|
|
Suite 2A, Caravelle House, 17/19 Goring Road,
Worthing, |
 |
|
| ||
|
Web site designed by ITDesigners:ww.itdesigners.com Copyright © 1999-2011 TravelQuest Limited; Last modified: July 12, 2011 |
