Resources

The medical environment in North Africa's more developed nations is radically different from that of the rest of Africa, where private Christian hospitals with reasonably good surgical services that treat the poor have little or no competition from other hospitals. North Africa also has far more trained and licensed surgeons, and as an outside surgical educator I first had to learn how to work in a medical environment that is prescribed by the local medical community. In North Africa the expatriate surgeon must often compete with licensed local surgeons for surgical cases that residents can learn to do. He or she must be very aware of what the local surgical community considers to be the appropriate way to manage surgical disease. When complications occur the medical-legal environment can be a threat to the residents and to their teachers, especially since we are used to managing our own complications "in house." in Egypt complications are not tracked or discussed as we do in developed countries, and patients with serious complications are usually transferred to another hospital to protect the reputation of the surgeon and the hospital. This provides additional challenges to training surgeons. Working cross-culturally as an international medical educator requires humility, patience, and a strong commitment to learn how cultural and religious differences impact medical practice and the way decisions are made

The Millennial demographic is a conundrum of sorts. Millennials are those aged 19-36, and are the largest demographic group in history. They are bigger than baby boomers and they are a powerful force in society. They think and act differently than any group before them, and they are critical to the future success of every non-profit. This session is focused on non-profits who are looking to better understand how Millennials think, how they want to engage with your organization and how they give (both monetarily and with their time).

Suppose you were born in Central Thailand 60 years ago. As a teenager you found a numb spot on your arm, later on your arm became painful and finally your hand was deformed and you couldn’t feel or grip anything. You and your family were frightened. The monks at the Buddhist temple tried to help, but their expensive poultices did not help. Your family loved you, but they felt they had no alternative than to put you out of the house. You were a social outcast and would have to live a life of begging.What is worldview? What is your worldview? What is the worldview of the community described in the scenario above?The great majority of medical missions in East Asia takes place in Buddhist and Chinese (Confucius) contexts. Are they the same, similar or different? What obstacles must be overcome to make an impact physically and spiritually in East Asia? What must a medical missionary understand and put into practice in order to work effectively with peoples in Buddhist and Chinese worldviews? Finally, what is the unique role that medical missions can have in these contexts?This session will feature Dr. David Leung, a family medicine doctor who has worked at Evergreen ministries in Taiyuan, China for over 15 years. He will present the Chinese worldview. I will present the Buddhist challenge.

The principles of abdominal surgery are not different in Africa, but the presentation, available diagnostic tools and frequency of certain etiologies is significantly different. The approach and therapy of peptic ulcer disease, small bowel obstruction, large bowel obstruction and parasitic disease in the abdomen will be the primary diseases discussed.

Endoscopists in the global South face common challenges including limited training opportunities and poor access to equipment and repair facilities. Despite these challenges therapeutic endoscopy creates dramatic improvements in patient outcomes in resource-constrained settings. Strategies for implementing, growing, and sustaining endoscopy services – including the role of short-term partners - will be discussed.

Cross-cultural medical workers are under multiple levels of stress peculiar to their professional roles. They often serve as mental health resources to colleagues and other cross-cultural workers, have difficulty limiting the hours of work with minimal reprieve for rest and restoration. This session will focus on cognitive and behavioral tools that can improve mental and emotional self-care.

This session will discuss the role of women in health care missions today. It will include examples and personal stories that will encourage expanded vision and new perspectives on opportunities and needs.

Single medical professionals are resilient in a cross-cultural setting and have the opportunity to be highly effective in service. The greatest challenges impact the personal home life of the individual. Applications to increase resiliency in the personal life will be explored with attention given to the relational and sexual domains of life. The workshop will include a presentation followed by designated time to pose questions and dialogue about the material.

This session will focus on the advances in maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) with a special emphasis on healthy timing and spacing of pregnancies (HTSP). We will discuss the progress made over the past 25 years as well as a way forward with a focus on international family planning. We will look at Ethiopia as a case study for the implementation of healthy timing and spacing of pregnancies and the linkages with addressing other global health millennium development goals. In terms of next steps, we will provide a robust discussion around philanthropy, awareness-raising, and advocacy opportunities to elevate the issues of MNCH for a goal of better dialogue and increased funding on these important global health and development issues.

May people talk about being a missionary in the future… "when I graduate from medical school… when I pay off my debt… when I have more experience… THEN I will become a missionary." The problem is that few are actually living the life of a missionary NOW. Being a missionary does not just magically happen when you set foot on foreign soil. In this session we will discuss the preparation of your heart and hands to be a missionary NOW in your current context, whether that be nursing school, medical school, or residency, AND in the future, whether that be North Africa or North Tulsa.

Integrating evangelism into medical missions can be difficult, particularly in areas that are closed to the gospel. We will discuss the topic from the big picture down to details and examples.

Spina bifida is usually a devastating diagnosis in any part of the work, but it is even more grave in the developing world. Embarking upon a treatment regimen demands that the parents have full information about what limitations should be anticipated for their child. Also, the full repertoire of potential operations, needed care, and life expectancy should be discussed with the family. The mother should be advised about long term folate utilization if she anticipates continued sexual activity while being in a child bearing age. Full information will allow a better understanding by the parents of anticipated changes in the child's disposition over a life time. As the child matures, more and more information will also needed to be shared with the patient.