For the last two weeks, we were visited by a group of four doctors (2 family practitioners, an ER doc and a general surgeon), a nurse practitioner, nearly a dozen nurses and technicians and a handful of civilian volunteers. With their help, we saw 800+ patients, held 3 mobile clinics in areas even more rural and seemingly unreachable than where I’m stationed and performed two dozen surgeries. They came down with thousands of pounds of medicine and other medical supplies, thousands of toothbrushes and toothpaste along with action packers full of school supplies, sneakers and sandals for those patients who come to clinic barefoot.

We worked out of abandoned houses and used giant metal shipping containers as our clinic dividing the space into a pharmacy, laboratory, two exam rooms and an ultrasound room. We used the space in between the two containers as a consultation area and had triage positioned under a pavilion made of palm tree branches. There were 100 + people waiting outside every morning, hoping to get a bracelet that would allow them to be seen by one of the doctors. Examining up to six patients at a time, we saw everything from impetigo to walking pneumonia to elephantitis and hydroceles.

The amount of information I learned and experience I obtained these past two weeks was incredible. Allowed to assist on several major hernias, hydroceles, lypomas and other minor surgeries, I quickly realized how there was nothing fake or unrealistic about the work I am doing. The ability to remove a tumor from a woman’s breast or give a man back his ability to walk by replacing a massive hernia is nothing short of amazing, considering the lack of a sterilized operating room, 90 degree heat, and little to no electricity. The doctors and nurses who visited are some of the best in their fields. The speed, accuracy and grace in which they operated, treated and cured the patients they saw was nothing short of inspiring. These past few weeks reminded why I want to be a doctor.