Hello again!
I am writing this from the airport in Dar es Salaam waiting for my flight up to Moshi, a city in the shadow of the famous Kilimanjaro. I will spend a few days with the prosthetists at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical College (KCMC) working on the BKA prosthesis project before flying to Zanzibar for a few days of vacation and then back to the US for the holidays!
I haven’t really had much time to process the experience yet, in part because we had a very late night in the hospital enrolling study patients yesterday and also because the trip is still not over yet! I imagine I will circle back after the holidays with a more in-depth dive, but for now excuse my brief (and likely flighty) thoughts here.
Return of International Travel
This was my first trip outside the United States since the summer of 2019 before I started medical school. It certainly was a strange feeling. My first ever international trip was in the summer of 2016 when I lived in Ghana, and while there are many differences between the two experiences, this in some ways felt like a new chapter. I have been fortunate enough to have been able to see many parts of the world (with still many more places to see). During the COVID-19 pandemic, I seemed to have forgotten some of the beauty that I fell in love with that summer 6 years ago.
Travel is full of varied experiences. You eat new foods in new places with new people. You can immerse yourself in new cultures and routines, learning as you go that the world is much bigger than we can ever imagine. All those experiences bring with it a certain energy, an excitement in your bones, that is hard to replicate.
One of my favorite clichés is that “variety is the spice of life”. Studies have shown this to be case. I think it is all to easy to get caught up in routines, and while consistency is important for many aspects of life, it is not everything. Among many things this trip served as a reminder to take that extra step outside my comfort zone. Try something new. If you put yourself out in the world, you may be pleasantly surprised what can happen.
The Power of Research and the Importance of A Community to Do It In
Research is important and has the power to provide answers and change lives. That’s a strong statement, and I fully admit I am probably biased. I took a year off before medical school to do a masters in epidemiology and clinical research and then took another year off in medical school to do research in global orthopedics. I also have only really attended schools that strongly emphasize research, so perhaps I have sipped a little too much of the kool-aid.
That all being said, and pretending academic publishing doesn’t exist for a second, I really do believe in the process. I not only think it helps generate new knowledge, but I think it makes for better scientists and physicians. The person who is constantly asking “why” probably cares a lot about the topic, and in general, that’s the one you want taking care of you.
A simple fact I have also observed through my experience is that research is so much more effective, and fun, when you have a community to do it with. That is why I was so excited to hear about the founding of a clinical research group at MOI. I got to attend a few of their meetings and was excited to see people from all over the hospital, orthopedists, neurosurgeons, nurses, and critical care doctors discussing different topics and refining their ideas. That community is key to overcoming the complexities and obstacles of research through shared knowledge and mutual support. It generates action through accountability and can inspire new ideas in the process.
Friendships
Sometimes the world works in strange ways, but I want to tell you a quick story about friendships. Over the last few weeks I got to learn a lot more about the research conducted at MOI and how the relationship with UCSF started. It turns out Dr. Shearer (one of my research mentors at UCSF) was connected with Dr. Haonga at MOI through an organization called SIGN. SIGN provides free orthopedic implants to hospitals all over the world, and luckily just so happens to be headquartered close to where Dr. Shearer grew up. Dr. Shearer then came to MOI as an orthopedic resident and through many hours of collaboration and work over the years has built a research relationship with Dr. Haonga, now a full professor, that only continues to grow and inspire younger trainees like myself and the residents of MOI.
Without that friendship, itself a product of freak connections and “right place at the right time” moments, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to work at MOI over this last month. Life is filled with moments like these. Looking back and connecting the dots, it’s hard not to appreciate the impact relationships can have. Anyways I’ll leave it there. I am so very thankful for all the people I met over the last few weeks. Everyone, from the residents at MOI to the research staff, was so very warm and welcoming. I am certainly leaving Tanzania with some life long friends and colleagues that I look forward to working with in the future. Who knows where it will lead, but I am looking forward to connecting the dots in a few years and finding out.
Until next time,
Jamieson
P.S. I am going to start a little addition to each post talking about other content that I currently consuming in one form or another! If you are looking for something new, hopefully it can provide a little inspiration for your next read, watch, or listen.
What I am Reading: Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens - I know I am late to the party on this one but I wanted to read the book before I watched the movie. Extremely well written with some fun and poetic style, you can definitely tell that she is a zoologist turned author with her attention to detail.
What’s in my Headphones: Let Me Down - Quinn XCII and Chelsea Cutler - You might know that I am big Chelsea Cutler fan. They wrote this song about a year ago and teased it on instagram but it just now came out. Totally worth the wait.
What a great read! We are vicariously living through your wonderful experiences.
We are extremely proud of you!
Keep up the great work!
Much love!
Awesome Jamieson. It´s always a joy to read about your experiences in learning, helping others, trying interesting foods and finding new friendships. Keep going strong! Lots of love from your family ties in Costa Rica!