International volunteerism during general surgical residency: a resident's experience.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this article is to discuss a surgical resident's experience in Kenya as a component of a custom-designed dedicated year. The academic value, clinical experience, and lessons learned will be described. Hopefully, these insights will be useful to those planning to take a similar course or for those seeking to offer such an experience at their training programs.


METHODS
Bomet, Kenya.


RESULTS
Operative experience for a 6-month period is given in Table 1. Two papers were presented at the 58th East African College of Surgeons conference. Retrospective review of the local experience in treatment of esophageal and breast cancers were reported for a 14-year period.


CONCLUSIONS
Concerning the goals and value of surgical volunteerism during residency, the greatest benefits are derived personally by the volunteer. If careful preparation is made, then it is possible to obtain meaningful research data even from a small village in East Africa. The inherent risks of third-world travel can be optimized but not erased.
Alterman
Daniel Mark
DM
Department of Surgery, University of Tennessee Medical Center, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. dalterma@mc.utmck.edu
Goldman
Mitchell H
MH
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007393:International Educational Exchange; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007630:Kenya; D008297:Male; D018794:Problem-Based Learning / Q000379:methods*; D017664:Uncompensated Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014838:Volunteers / Q000523:psychology*