Training outside of the box.
BACKGROUND
Developments in surgical training in Australasia allow for individualization of training to suit individual requirements. One uncommon career track is medical aid or missionary surgery in the developing world. It is difficult to receive appropriate training for this type of surgical practice in Australasia. The present paper describes a novel approach to preparing for this kind of work by spending a 6 month rotation in a mission hospital in rural East Africa.


METHODS
The surgical trainee spent 5 months working at Kijabe Hospital in Kenya. This is a large mission hospital with a busy general surgical workload and adequate staffing for training.


RESULTS
The trainee performed 214 major cases, in a broad range of general surgery, under appropriate supervision. He also took part in regular educational sessions, surgical audit, and helped to develop one of East Africa's pioneering laparoscopic surgical -programmes.


CONCLUSIONS
The present paper demonstrates that it is possible for Australasian trainees to gain useful experience in the rural African environment, in hospitals where appropriate surgical supervision is available.
Hill
Andrew G
AG
Department of Surgery, Middlemore Hospital and Auckland Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand. ahill@middlemore.co.nz
Woodfield
John C
JC
D044362:Australasia; D003906:Developing Countries; D013502:General Surgery / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000379:methods*; D007630:Kenya; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000193:education*