I spent my 6 week elective at Kagando Mission Hospital, and to say that I loved every minute of it would not be completely truthful.Some minutes were deeply challenging, others were exhausting, some overflowing with joy, others sorrowful.
It was an extremely diverse experience, for which I am grateful, as it led me to grow in both clinical competence and faith.
I had opportunities I might never have had as a student in the UK; like delivering twins and performing a lumbar puncture, and I made deep and lasting friendships.
I was able to direct and organise my time in the hospital from a wealth of options, which included medicine, surgery, paediatrics, and outreach clinics. This allowed me to choose to spend the majority of my time in specialties I am interested in – and this was hugely rewarding, particularly in paediatrics.
God used my time at the hospital to give me a real heart for the people of Uganda, and I hope to return as a doctor.
If you are thinking about volunteering at Kagando, I would encourage you to look into it; I am so glad that I did.
