Elizabeth Verna, DO: Ellis Family Medicine PGY 2

Uganda: April 2017

 This recent trip to Uganda has given me many valuable lessons at a time when I was feeling burnt out in my residency. The opportunity to make a difference for the people there has reignited my love for medicine. Seeing the different healthcare system in Uganda has given me an appreciation for the advances in technology that we have readily available in the US. Without some of the services like imaging and lab work, I was reminded that my greatest tools as a physician are a thorough history and physical. It is easy to forget basic clinical findings when so much of my practice in the US has been focused on confirming a diagnosis using modern technology, which was not available in rural Uganda. Many of the complaints I saw there were musculoskeletal related, reminding me that as a D.O., I have the advantage of a skill set in musculoskeletal manipulation. This was an important aspect to help with diagnosis and treatment instead of deferring this process to medications or other specialist which I regularly do with my patients in the US. Thank you so much for the opportunity, I will carry these important experiences with me throughout my career.