Anna Goes to Rwanda and Uganda

Why am I going here for my medical elective?

Healthcare provision varies across the globe and visiting these countries will enable me to experience many new cultures, and impart some basic but vital public health information to children across Rwanda and Uganda.
I will also have the opportunity to attend some clinics whilst in Rwanda to learn about how they deliver healthcare in their country so I can take stock of my privilege and learn key skills from Rwanda clinicians.

Being a native English speaker I am fortunate to be able to communicate with the vast amount of patients I come across, so being unable to speak the native tongue of my patients will be a challenge to overcome and test my nonverbal communication skills. I will take these learnings into my working life to enable and empower those accessing healthcare who may not speak much/any English to receive and engage with the care they deserve.

Also, cricket is my main passion outside of medicine (see photo!) so the opportunity to combine my 2 main passions was too good an opportunity to pass up!

Photo Credit: Cardiff University Sport High Performance Programme