My trip to Arusha Tanzania
Rebekah Osgood (Medicine)

As a medical student in my final year of training in a well-financed institution, I wanted to experience healthcare firsthand in low-resource setting. When I first set foot in Tanzania, I spent a relaxing week with friends on the island of Zanzibar. The experience of snorkeling in February seemed so surreal. After several days of enjoying the heat of the island, I arrived in Tanzania. I felt immediately at ease as our country program director, Baptista, greeted me. The Work the World Tanzania team provided me with a great orientation to the placement, town of Arusha and it's surroundings. I found quickly that I would have no lack of places for entertainment during my four-week elective.

The day my placement began, I was filled with nervousness and anticipation. As I walked into the Labor and Delivery unit (or maternity ward) of Mt. Meru Regional Hospital, the dramatic contrasts to my home institutions became quite vivid. 10-12 beds filled with women in active labor seemed worlds away from the single-bed rooms to which I was accustomed. I was given immediate patient care responsibility at my placement. I was expected to assess patients as they presented to the floor, determine if they were in labor, and initiate management. I was able to perform vaginal deliveries independently and had the opportunity to assist in Caesarean sections. I remained on this unit for the entirety of my four week placement. I will never forget the exhilaration of delivering several babies each day and learning the essentials of obstetrics without the aid of technology. I became more comfortable assessing women without the help of the ultrasound and the without the use of a Doppler to listen to fetal heart tones.

I had been on international medical rotations earlier on in my medical training and found that my experience with Work the World was by far the most positive. The organization of the program and their attention to your individual needs and preferences was impressive. The program is extremely flexible and allows participants to tailor their experiences to their needs, and the needs of their home institution. I always felt well-supported in the Work the World program. Staff members were consistently available and capable to handle any unforeseen difficulties. Our weekly barbeques emphasize the WTW mentality of building friendships while providing an excellent learning environment. We often explored the town of Arusha's nightlife, many great restaurants, and fabulous markets. The house was filled with others on different placements and was a great place to get to know other healthcare professionals and discuss our experiences.

Both my work and traveling experiences in Tanzania exceeded my expectations. I was able to go on safari for 4 days, see some of the most beautiful beaches I've ever seen, and meet such interesting and fun-loving people all in one elective. I have absolutely no regrets with my choice of elective and could not have asked for a better experience.