171 Ashley Ave.
Charleston, SC 29425
843-792-1414
|
 |
MUSC pediatrician teaches at Thailand conference for medical missionaries
by Mary Sue Lawrence
Dr. Andrea Summer, MUSC pediatrician and pediatric travel medicine specialist, recently returned from a 10-day conference for medical missionaries in Thailand.
Dr. Summer was one of 70 faculty members from medical schools throughout the U.S. and Canada invited to present lectures at the 30th International Conference for Continuing Medical and Dental Education, held in Chiang Mai, Thailand, sponsored by the Christian Medical and Dental Association.
In attendance were missionaries working in 41 countries, from war-torn countries such as Afghanistan and Pakistan, to more peaceful but remote areas including the Philippines and Bangladesh.
"For many of these medical professionals, this is a convenient way for them to get their continuing medical education credits and maintain their licenses without having to return to the U.S.," explains Dr. Summer, who is co-director of MUSC's Center for International Adoption and works in the Travel Medicine Clinic.
Because they are stationed in remote areas or are the only medical source for a large community, many of the missionaries must be a "jack-of-all-trades," says Dr. Summer. "They are often called upon to do things outside of their specialty."
While the conference covered general medicine, surgery, community health and dental, the curriculum reflected the generalist need of many of the attending physicians who are "running the show," offering lectures and workshops on procedures usually reserved for specialists.
"Orthopedic surgeons were teaching basic care for fractures and how to apply casts and splints; radiologists were teaching general MDs how to perform and interpret ultrasounds," recalls Dr Summer. "These doctors are managing medical problems that a typical pediatrician or internist would refer out - they have to be specialists in many areas.
"One missionary doctor I spent some time talking with is stationed in Papua New Guinea," she continues. "He had become adept at using general anesthesia, doing surgical procedures, performing skin grafts for burns, and managing fractures. Much of this he'd learned from a senior missionary doctor."
Certified in travel and tropical medicine, Dr. Summer gave three talks: Pediatric travel medicine; Immigrant and refugee screening; and the Global water crisis and its impact on growth and development in children.
"Poor water quality is a big concern in developing countries, and is a major risk factor for all kinds of respiratory and gastro-intestinal infections that result in significant morbidity and mortality in young children," she says.
"It was great to be invited to participate, and very inspirational to hear about the work of these missionaries - many of these doctors are operating in extremely challenging situations," says Dr. Summer.
|
|
Print Version