Post by Melanie Mahoney, PD4
That’s a wrap! Today marks our very last day in Uganda. This experience has taught me so much in so many ways. I have grown and become more confident in my clinical knowledge through rounding with different pharmacists, medical officers, and specialists. I have developed my presentation skills with a journal club, case presentation, and final project presentation. I have expanded my knowledge and understanding of research through interactions with the cryptococcal meningitis research team and development of my own research project proposal. My personal project focused on flucytosine therapeutic drug monitoring in the treatment of cryptococcal meningitis.
Beyond all the official, structured learning, I also think this was a time of personal growth for me. Leaving for Uganda I was a bit nervous about being so far away from my husband, family, and friends for 5 weeks. I love to travel but this was a different kind of trip that I knew would challenge me. I was really surprised that I never got homesick. I appreciated the opportunity to completely immerse myself in my learning here and set everything else aside for a few weeks. While the past few years of pharmacy school have been rewarding, this time has also been very stressful and overwhelming. I tend to “say yes” to everything and sometimes over-involve myself in work, volunteering, training, and other activities. The past five weeks have allowed me to “reset” and mentally prepare for my professional future. I have seen how productive I can be when I am fully committed to one experience.
I have also loved learning and hanging out with my classmates on this trip. It has been really helpful to share this experience with such wonderful people who are also passionate about global health and willing to discuss and reflect on our learning together. We have also been fortunate enough to share in some fun excursions from the safari at Murchison Falls to white water rafting on the Nile to countless trips to Acacia Mall for ice cream! After spending almost every waking moment with Joe and An, I’m sure I will miss them when we get back to the US and go on to different rotations.
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| Delicious gelato from Acacia Mall |
I want to thank all the pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, medical officers, specialists, and students who taught us so much over the past five weeks. I know we all appreciate you taking the time to engage in our learning by asking us questions, describing patient cases, and patiently explaining the reasons behind certain differences in healthcare practice. As I wrap up my final thoughts on this experience, I am moved by how my perceptions of healthcare, and especially healthcare in a resource limited setting, have changed. I really loved exploring the differences between healthcare in the US and Uganda and learning why certain things are done the way they are here. I was surprised to see families bring in their own sheets for the hospital beds and help in caring for their loved one by preparing food at the bedside and cleaning out catheter bags. We learned about cultural differences and the shortage of healthcare professionals that cause family to be so involved in care. I was shocked to learn that most pharmacists are only at their pharmacies for fewer than ten hours per week and that pharmacy technicians are usually the ones checking prescriptions and providing patient education. We learned that pharmacy technicians actually have an advanced level of education in Uganda that prepares them for work similar to a community pharmacist in the United States. If I could bring one message back to share with others it would be that it is so important to seek understanding before seeking a solution based on preconceived expectations. This applies not only to experiences abroad but also within the United States. The US is a country of such vast diversity that it’s important to realize how our unique experiences can lead to different viewpoints and that this can become emphasized and more important to accept and understand in a stressful healthcare setting.
This experience has been so impactful for my professional development. This rotation has allowed me to learn more about infectious diseases and global health, two of my major areas of interest in pharmacy. I am looking forward to applying to residency programs this fall and will hopefully find a position where I can then move on to a second year infectious disease residency. In the end, I want to work in a setting where I can use infectious disease knowledge and my passion for continuously learning and public health to improve patients’ lives.
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| Melanie, An, and Joe on the Nile River Boat Tour |
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| Melanie, Joe, and An White Water Rafting |
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