A typical week in Kenya

Sasa my friends, another action packed week has passed! I hope you are all keeping well. I thought I would write a little of what I get up to over a week in Kenya.

My week begins with an early start on Monday morning, trudging down the hill for a 7am continued education meeting ie. a lecture. This is the main entrance to Kijabe hospital, and those are med students in the stunning white coats!

Following the lecture we begin our morning rounds. I am on a general medical team with the lovely Dr. Peter Mwaka, a kenyan 'family physician' or in other words, a GP who can do surgery (C-sections, appendectomies etc.). We visit each of our patients, taking time to make sure they are being looked after well, and often praying with them or their family members on the way. This usually takes til about midday.

Every day at 1am we have traditional kenyan lunch (usually rice, stew and chappatis) and listen to another lecture (continuing education is big over here). After a wee catch up with the rest of the colleagues, I spend my afternoons finishing jobs and seeing patients in the Casualty department (ED).

We finish at 5pm and wander back to the house for a light dinner (I'm honestly always stuffed from lunch) and a relaxing evening. UNLESS.... you are on call. Call begins at 5pm and finishes at 7am the following morning. As a medical student, you are first on call, meaning you respond to the pager when it goes, and call the junior doctor if you need help. It is terrifying and exciting and tiring all at once. But at least I know I'll be ready to be a junior doctor when the time comes!