Physician Seminar - June 9 and 10

Monday I was up early as I thought of changes I needed/wanted to make, questionnaires, evaluations, certificates. I've got enough materials for an 18 month course and I've been paring it down asking myself repeatedly "What is most important? Do they really need to know that? Is that too deep?". I go over my list of items to take again and again (Computer, cables, power supply, business cards, books, docking station, glasses, tape for cords on floors, questionnaires, pens for the flip charts, audience participation clickers, USB extension, audience participation receiver, evaluations, camera, water) Check and double check spread on the bed then into the big backpack. I don't want to forget anything today. The pack is very full and very heavy and as I pick it up I remember one of the straps broke on the last moto ride home. A quick repair and good morning to others who are up. As Dr. Konn is getting ready to go I notice she has a projector so I ask about which I'm supposed to use. She makes a call and we discover I'm supposed to use the one she has. Abdullah is at the house this morning @ 7:30 but is unable to give me a ride to King Faisal so I'm out the door, on a moto and at the meeting room by 7:45. The physicians are supposed to be here by 9:30 so I've got plenty of time to get everything right.

The conference room is locked. Of course they aren't expecting the meeting until 9:15 so they won't be open @ 7:40. One by one King Faisal physicians come by checking the door and milling around the entrance. They have a staff meeting from 8 to 9. I got to visit with many of them and they are happy to here that Kigali Health Institute is helping the General Practitioners with Continuing Medical Education opportunities. Once the secretary comes I slip in and try to set up as much as I can while the staff meeting goes on. As a busy mouse in the corner it was very encouraging to overhear snippets of their discussion. They are a dedicated group of professionals of the highest order. Treating each other with respect and expressing the types of high ideals and morals that we would want all physicians to hold.

Once the staff meeting is over I can re-arrange the room and make final preparations. I'm ready by 9:10. @ 9:25 I decide to give a call to John so I can assess when they should arrive. They are just leaving so I have a bit more time. Benard & Benjamin both come with the physicians and have brought my box of materials from the school. The physicians are young and bright. They represent Rwanda's best. Most went to school together and are assigned to hospitals around the country. During introductions I find that all but one are general practitioners, they all have ultrasound units that they are using to different degrees. Most are performing obstetrical and gynecological sonograms and only a few are dabbling in the abdomen. All of them speak primarily French (and to them I have a very strong accent).

I shared who I was, what I was doing in country, the various organizations who had worked together, the societies that had helped and the companies who had donated educational materials. Physics first , , , we're starting late I've got too much stuff and not enough time. By the time the first session is over I know I'm going too fast. During the morning Tea, I delete half of the stuff I'd planned to include. After the 2nd session I decide I'm still going too fast but were done with the basic physics. During lunch (which is outstanding) I look at the afternoon talk on knobology and delete some more. We are @ the hospital so that I can take them to the machine. If I take too long lecturing there won't be time to get to the sonography lab. So I delete some more and try to slow down. We get through the lecture and down to sonography by a bit after 3:15. Before heading downstairs I pick up the surveys and all but a few join me at the machine for a good session talking about the various knobs. Finally I start to get the feedback that shows a teacher has their interest. I'm concerned I've given them too much theory.

Back at the house I go over the surveys and find notes indicating they'd like to concentrate on Obstetrics and Gynecology tomorrow, , , and almost every note asks me to slow down. I rework my plan for Tuesday dropping the abdomen lecture entirely, deciding to do a lot more writing on the flip charts instead of depending on the Power Point to keep me on time and moving. I know I go slower if I'm writing instead of pointing to a drawing already done. Plus, , I delete more things that I decided are superfluous in this setting.

Tuesday morning I'm at the door @ 8:00 and all goes well until the projector won't electronically talk to the computer. I lecture every day and know almost every trick to get them to collaborate but none seem to work. I start the secretary (Mary) on the path to acquiring a different projector. Benard suggests turning everything off and starting over and that finally does the trick. I'd planned to start @ 9:30 and I've finally got all of the electronics going @ 9:28. Good thing I'd planned some margin!

I assure them that I got the message and I'll slow down a bunch today. Also there's a lot less theory and the lectures today will focus on Obs and Gyne. We start off with a lecture that Nee Barnor our CVTC Clinical coordinator has given to me. Today is much, much better from my vantage point. More interaction, more questions, more head nodding, more correct answers when questions are asked. I love to teach and on a good day like today the teaching energizes me. By the end of the day, I'm fully charged and feel like an energizer bunny on caffeine (inside but still presenting slow on the outside). I gave out some of the items that had been donated. We took a hand poll and those who scanned the most I gave luggage tags from Sound Ergonomics, those who said they had mice, , , I gave mouse pads from SVU, all received a OB calculator wheel from SDMS and the person with the highest accuracy rate from the audience participation I gave the nice bag from SVU. I've got 12 working days left in country but I'm only scheduled to do a specific activity on 4 of those days. I offered to come to each of the doctor's hospitals and work one on one with them for a half day. Five of them take me up on the offer.

Wednesday the 11th I'm off to Rwamagana to work with Dr. Etienne Amendezo. Friday the 13th I'll go to Rwinkworu Hospital near Akegera to work with Dr. Irenee Umilisa. Monday the 16th I'll visit Dr. Emmanuel Kanimba @ Kizigura Hospital. Monday the 23rd I'll be with Dr. Melence Gatsinda in nearby Kbagabaga. I'm scheduled to be with Dr. Innocent Uyisabye @ Kibilizi Hospital in Butare. That leaves 3 days for tourist stuff if nothing cancels.

Back @ the house I meet up with Terry and we head to town for a visit to ORTPN to check out the possibilities for getting to the gorillas @ Ruhengeri, change some American money, do a bit of shopping and grab a bite to eat. We were successful on all fronts but to varying degrees. The Gorilla slots are all filled. I have an okay chance of getting a cancellation slot because I'm one, can go in the middle of the week and except for four days next week can re-arrange my schedule on short notice. I've been good about my expenses and I think I've got enough to be able to go. The mask I've looked at 5 times now I took down to measure, weigh and get a better look at in the light. I do like it, a lot, but it's quite large (though relatively light) and I don't know if it will fit into my trunks. Terry introduces me to a new restaurant that some Belgians had shown him. I tried a new drink, , , , tomato tree juice. The waiter assures me it is sweet so I order a glass. I recognize the taste as Kinyomoro fruit juice and it's confirmed when they bring one of the fruits to show me. We take a matata back to the house.

At every opportunity, Terry does his best to bring to my mind different aspects of why I shouldn't be riding the motos. I think he's up to 6 reasons that he's shared so far. His latest one is that the most dangerous part is the helmet. It's been on probably 500 heads without a cleaning. Hmmmmm , , , , , , It's so easy though, , , they are everywhere, you don't have to wait, you don't have to cram in, they take you right where you want to go, and they are pretty cheap. The thought of lice has got me scratching my head!

I promised to include links to the various organizations and resources on this web page and will try to have them all on before I go to bed tonight (Wednesday).