tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63125994713720536832011-04-22T03:48:44.251+03:00Michael Lawsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14467396721467302683noreply@blogger.comBlogger91100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6312599471372053683.post-85521931429305944392007-12-09T09:59:00.000+03:002008-12-09T09:07:56.795+03:00

Bill Stoeffer is an Infectious Disease doc from the University of Minnesota. He is here working for the CDC, writing the new guidelines for health screening of refugees entering the US (yeah...he's kind of a big deal). He spends some of his time in the Rwandan and Burundi refugee camps in western Tanzania, as well as monitoring for avian flu entering from Uganda. Pretty cool stuff. On the side

Michael Lawsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14467396721467302683noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6312599471372053683.post-42906184334889917922007-12-04T16:35:00.000+03:002008-12-09T09:07:56.854+03:00

Since coming I have been on the "waiting" list to go along with the clinics the Flying Medical Service puts on in several of the surrounding villages around Arusha.In late October I signed up for the next available date. December 3rd.Becca, the pilot who would be leading the clinic, had just returned from her first visit to the states in three years."So Becca. I know you're jet lagged and have

Michael Lawsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14467396721467302683noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6312599471372053683.post-89814593594498139762007-11-19T18:57:00.000+03:002008-12-09T09:07:56.948+03:00

As Ivan and I entered into the unfamiliar abode I was greeted by a large man with a huge chin-strap beard that could have easily been an extra for one of the Rohan warriors in the Lord of the Rings films."Ahhh...a new recruit!"Before I knew it I was again in a crippling handshake. Ivan had taken us to the head office of the Norwegian Lutheran missionary office in East Africa."Karibu" (Swahili

Michael Lawsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14467396721467302683noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6312599471372053683.post-37907398383157639422007-11-06T11:24:00.000+03:002008-12-09T09:07:57.204+03:00

The day began just like every other.The alarm on my cell goes off. "It's time to wake up, the time is 6:30." This repeats several times in the familiar female British accent I've learned to loathe.Right, quick shower before the hot water runs out.And a quick bit of oatmeal before taking the Moshi-Nairobi Road to Ngorumtoni and Selian Hospital.After morning sala (service), morning report began."

Michael Lawsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14467396721467302683noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6312599471372053683.post-25657432752696924552007-10-27T10:43:00.000+03:002008-12-09T09:07:57.364+03:00

I've been working in the medicine inpatient wards for a couple of weeks now. For non-medical people all that means is sick people who are admitted to the hospital who don't need surgery.Before coming to Selian I knew that it was considered one of the best hospitals in Tanzania and definitely the best hospital in Arusha (population in the area between 1-2 million people).I'm not sure what I was

Michael Lawsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14467396721467302683noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6312599471372053683.post-19622188633999523022007-10-20T21:55:00.000+03:002008-12-09T09:07:57.569+03:00

Two German med students were ending their time at Selian and were going to spend a week at Zanzibar which is nicknamed "Spice Island." When they invited me to tag along I was a little hesitant at first seeing as I had only spent a total of eight days at Selian thus far, but as they were the only other scheduled students until December, I decided I should take advantage of their company and do a

Michael Lawsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14467396721467302683noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6312599471372053683.post-34171137461939809052007-10-07T15:31:00.000+03:002008-12-09T09:07:57.803+03:00

Friday was my first official day at Selian.It began with a brief prayer service in Kiswahili followed by morning report.At Morning Report we discuss how many patients were admitted overnight as well as how many passed away. A woman in her 40's had passed away from AIDS related infections. She had been on ART medications for the past three months, but her CD4 count (the part of your immune system

Michael Lawsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14467396721467302683noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6312599471372053683.post-91782054398683935722007-10-01T07:55:00.000+03:002008-12-09T09:07:58.109+03:00

Finally, I've arrived in Arusha, Tanzania...and let me say, it's FANTASTIC!!! But, more on that in a bit.My travels began innocently enough. Although I had a slight delay on my flight to Chicago, I was able to make my flight to London without problems as well as my flight to Nairobi.After landing in Nairobi I stood in line to obtain a travel VISA. I was a tad nervous as everything I had read

Michael Lawsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14467396721467302683noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6312599471372053683.post-10369840709017427042007-09-20T22:16:00.000+03:002007-09-20T22:52:37.853+03:00

I have a little over a week left here in the States. I'm still decompressing from taking Step II of the Boards. I think the test went as well as can be expected. It's more than a little intimidating to have just over a year of experience on the wards and to be expected to answer any question in medicine. Everything is fair game on this test...from the diagnosis and treatment of acute angle

Michael Lawsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14467396721467302683noreply@blogger.com6