I delivered a baby today. Via Cesarean section. And an intern taught me how. Three remarkable statements to be made by a General Surgery resident about to begin her Chief year.
I am finishing my fourth clinical year in General Surgery, and feel as though I have had remarkable training thus far- both in its depth, breadth and quality. Vanderbilt is a wonderful place to train as a surgeon. I am about to begin my Chief year, where I should be honing my skills and functioning as a junior attending. And yet here I was, three days into my stay in Kijabe, learning a brand-new operation that I’ve never seen, much less been a part of, from someone who is 6 weeks into his intern year. How humbling, how awesome. What a reminder that every day is another opportunity to learn, to grow, to be stretched a bit more. I have already been amazed at the interns with whom I have had the opportunity to work here in Kenya. They are eager, they are confident, and they are desperately wanting to learn everything that they can from me, so that they can be better clinicians. I have already enjoyed our interactions- as we both have so much to teach one another- mine from more years of clinical experience, and them from their familiarity with disease processes and presentations not commonly seen back home. I am eager to experience the many more opportunities that I will have to work side by side these amazing Kenyan trainees in the coming weeks.