New Doctors and a Dentist

2020 was hard on us as a hospital due to the restrictions of Covid.  Not that we were having cases here, but as the Pandemic spread throughout the world, the ability for us to get reinforcements for our physicians became nonexistent.  This took a toll on us, and we lost some of our physician staff as a result.  When we got back  some of our doctors from their time in the US on Home Assignment, this was encouraging, but so is having new doctors join us.  

Since last October we have had 4 new physicians join us, 2 PNGians and 2 from World Medical Missions Post Residency Program, and 1 new PNG dental resident.  

 

Sheila joined us first.  She is a PNG physician who has family in our Province, but spent most of her life in Port Moresby, the capitol.  She graduated from UPNG Medical School a few years ago and has been working in POM, but last year came back to Jiwaka and has been a blessing to have work with us.  We tend to do things a bit different than other hospitals in PNG, so it often takes doctors a bit of time to adjust to our way of doing things.  She jumped in willing to do whatever was needed, and has been great, both as a worker, and as a learner.  She recently has enjoyed spending time in our Labor Ward with our 2 O&G doctors with us, and now will be spending some time with our surgical team.  She is hoping to stay around for the next 6 years doing the Rural Registrar Program, which we are excited about.  

 

Daniel came from the US, having finished his Family Practice training in Colorado in June, paperwork delays caused him not to get to us until February.  Thankfully, his training in the US prepared him for what we would ask of him.  He came having a lot of obstetrical experience, which was a huge blessing to us, as he was able to quickly join the call pool, when we were short staffed.  He will be with us for the next 2 years for sure through the Post Residency Program, and with the questions he asks, will be well prepared for whatever God might call Him next, hopefully here J  

 

Laura joined us from the US a month after Daniel, also delayed due to paperwork issues with Covid.  She is our first Ob/Gyn doctor who has been with us full time, and we have learned a lot together.  Our Ob/Gyn practice is a bit different than her training, so thankfully we have a number of surgeons and OBs here since she arrived, to help guide her through some of what her training didn’t quite prepare her for.  The laparoscopic and robotic surgery that she perfected in the US, isn’t quite as helpful here (especially when we don’t have the robot J).  We are learning together, how best to utilize her and her skills and where she can be the most help to our patients.  Her 2 years with the PostResidency Program will go by quick, but we are hoping she and her husband Taylor stick around too.

 

Spencer joined us the end of April.  He came to us as our first UPNG medical student about 3 years ago and spent 6 weeks with us.  While we didn’t have much to compare it to, we felt like he was quite bright, and we kept in touch through his finishing up of his medical training and then into his 2 years required Residency training in POM that he did.  When he finished his residency, he wrote and asked if he could come here and work with us, and we were happy to be able to say yes.  While it has really only been 3 months, he has already learned so much of what and how we do things here, and is a great help on call.  He is still thinking through the next steps in his life, but based on what we have seen, we would be happy to have him continue to work with us.  

 

Pauline grew up on our station.  Her mom is a nurse and midwife and her dad worked in our finance department.  She finished her dental schooling this April and is now with us for 2 months to complete her dental residency working with Lesther, our dentist.   So instead of just having 1 dentist here, we have 1 and 1 trainee, which allows us to do a bit more.  It is great having some station folks coming back to do medicine and dentistry and serve the people here.  

After having only 3 or 4 regular doctors for most of last year, having 7 doctors, plus an OB/Gyn, and 1 surgeon and 1 surgical trainee, and 1 dentist and 1 dental trainee, working now full time with us, is an amazing blessing.