Trip to Ghana by Nina Arora PA Class 2011

This summer I had the opportunity to participate in an international rotation in Ghana with the University of Utah.  I think many of us that join the PA profession do so because they want to devote a portion of their life to working in areas of low medical resources in the US and abroad.  

 

The rotation in Ghana provided us with an invaluable experience and gave us a glimpse of how healthcare works outside of the United States. On average, the MA’s (their equivalent of PA’s) provide 70% of the primary care and see approximately 90-150 patients per day.  We were able to gain a better understanding of the Ghanaian medical system by working in both a hospital and rural clinic setting where we found that what health care providers lacked in technological resources, they gained in bedside exam and clinical problem solving skills.  We treated advanced illnesses commonly seen within the US including diabetes, hypertension, and HIV along with a wide variety of tropical diseases such as malaria.  We also assisted in various surgeries, deliveries, and worked alongside Ghanaian clinicians in the ED, L&D, surgical pre-op/post-op, inpatient, and outpatient clinics.  

 

The entire team was also given the chance to participate in the International Seminar through the Director of the Kintampo Rural Health Training School providing continuing education for the MA’ of Ghana.  Each student picked a topic of their choice that they felt would be beneficial and lectured on these topics to a group of 500 MA’s over a 4-day period.  One of the most memorable aspects of our journey was meeting the Ghanaian people and immersing ourselves in their culture.  Nadia Miniclier, the program director, wanted us to not only gain a better understanding of the medical system, but also learn about the various aspects of the Ghanaian culture that play an important role in enriching their lives.

 

Nina Arora  PA Class of 2011