CALLED to Papua New Guinea

Kudjip Station Doctors Over the last two weeks, I have been re-immersed into the world of Obstetrics and Gynecology. What I had requested was a little more exposure to the decision-making processes that dictate how and when a mother delivers her baby. The physiology and pathology, surgical interventions, and even the medicines used, are a far cry from anything I have learned in my training as a Pediatrician. Fortunately, I’m not too far from medical school to have forgotten the basics that all med students learn, so over the last 6 months, I have been building upon that knowledge base – whether scanning pregnant bellies in clinic, or helping with deliveries overnight while covering call. However, what I recently realized is that just occasionally thinking about these things isn’t enough – I needed immersion in order to really see and manage enough of the in-the-moment critical decisions to feel comfortable with it. The bonus is that we currently have Dr. Scott Pringle here on Stati...

I realized last week, that there have been many instances in my blog posts when I reference “my students” and the “MKs” and speak of them in vague, generalized terms. So…I thought it would be nice to introduce you all to the amazing kiddos that I get to spend my days with! As I have mentioned in previous blogs, I am one of two teachers at the MK Elementary School. Ms. Judy Ralph teaches the 1st to 3rd graders in her classroom, and I teach the 4th to 6th grade students in my classroom. This post will feature my 4th, 5th, and 6th grade students, but as I will soon be taking over all the younger grades as well, a future post will feature our 1st – 3rd grade friends.  :)                                                                   Miss Olivia Dooley  Olivia is in the fourth grade and is nine years old. She was...

Dear Family and Friends, Rachel and I have sailed beyond the halfway mark for our year in Papua New Guinea, and while every day I find my schedule full of new experiences and tasks, I have recently been dedicating part of my time and thoughts to what lies beyond our return to the States. I recently registered to take the Pediatric Boards in October, which means I have also started taking my Boards studying seriously – no more occasional glances at the review books, but now I am earnestly plowing through the necessary material on a daily basis. Better to be ahead of the studying time curve, than behind it! With scheduling the Boards, I have also been thinking about what kind of work I’ll be doing when we return to Virginia. Rachel already has her teaching job waiting for her, but what kind of Pediatric work do I want to do? And for how long? A pediatric emergency room or a local urgent care center seems appealing – shift work would provide more flexible scheduling, and I wouldn’t be bo...

Dear Readers, I am most honored to share with you the most recent Blog Posting of my friend and colleague, Dr Mark Crouch, who just eliminated all reason for me to attempt writing anything of my own. :-) Please enjoy this:   CONSOLATION But, because I know you wouldn't let me get away with just reposting someone else's Blog (no matter how perfect), here are some recent pics.  Love and Peace, Ted Little Teddy returned for a check up!   My little neighbor John John - super cute. Baby "Rachel" on A ward - a VERY happy ending to what seemed might be another sad tale. She was admitted with bronchiolitis, and one morning after explaining to her mother she wasn't doing well, and praying over her, she stopped breathing! I was happy to be there at that moment, to supply masked breaths, turn up the Oxygen, and suction her chest, but having seen so many other babies succumb to similar illnesses, I wasn't optimistic. But, with high flow oxygen an...