Guest blogger Cameron Nicholson-Gardner shares immersive clinical experience in South Africa

Ohio University offers many global opportunities for students, including medical students, who would like to earn credit while also learning more about the world. Cameron Nicholson-Gardner, a second-year student on the Dublin campus who serves as Vice President of the Student National Medical Association, is participating in the South Africa program, which provides students with an immersive, hands-on experience in clinical and hospital settings. In this blog post, he gives us a closer look at his first week in South Africa.

The first week of practicing medicine in Cape Town, South Africa has already broadened my understanding of cultural competency. During my first week of three here, I observed and worked with medical students from the UK and Germany under the residence of chief surgeons in the Cardiothoracic Ward at Groote Schuur Hospital. The difference that I first noticed in this ward, is that most of the patients deal with chronic conditions caused by health disparities that limit their access to preventative medicine. Not having the proper health resources sooner rather than later impacts their morbidity, which often can lead to higher mortality rates. However, the doctors and residents do not let these conditions determine how they treat their patients, and they work to provide patients with proper treatment.

This week I watched the chief surgeons and residents on grand rounds in the Intensive Care Unit and worked with the UK and Germany residents during rounds in the Cardiothoracic Ward. During my rounds with the residents, they were empathetic and listened to their patient's concerns. They are great teachers who've allowed me to practice my medical clinical techniques on the patient, such as heart and lung sounds and pulse pressures. They even let me order chest X-rays for patients using their medical system. I appreciated how open they were with teaching by doing and not just remaining lectured-based. I learn best by observation and kinetics, so their teaching style was beneficial in combining my pre-clinical knowledge with hands-on practice with patients.

Another highlight this week was the opportunity to observe my first surgery. The surgery involved a coronary artery bypass graft and heart valve replacement. It was amazing to see how the chief surgeon, residents, scrub nurses and the anesthesiology team work together in the "Theatre," called the Operating Room at Groote Schuur Hospital. Everyone had a role and no part felt out of place. It was amazing to see true collaboration and cooperation between physicians who all had the common goal of having a successful surgery for this patient. It showed what a health care team is.

A bonus part of this week was having the opportunity to hang out in the Anesthesia and Perioperative Services Department. I never had that much interest in anesthesia before, but it plays a more significant role than I imagined. It is more technical than maintaining the patient's health while they are under operation. They genuinely care for the patient during and after surgery, which many do not consider. They were true craftsmen in their approach to not harming the patients. Overall, my experience in South Africa doing medicine has been great. I've been so receptive to all the cultural and medical knowledge this place offers and look forward to what it brings!