In Houston, I surrounded myself with Christians seeking to be in the healthcare field. Eugene Peterson was perceived as strange because he seemed to be the only person in his pastoral group to read books (375). In the same way, I was the only person in my group of friends at home with a global vision. Upon arrival in Tanzania, outnumbered by Atheists and Muslims from around the world, it was evident that Christians and Americans are grossly underrepresented in the medical dynamic. As a physician, it is imperative to have a firmly established code of ethics. In “Pastors and Novels,” Peterson argues that, in addition to biblical text, pastors should supplement their arsenals with novels to more effectively spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to
…show more content…
A common excuse for unacceptable care is “lack of resources.” Patients go without anesthesia for painful procedures due to “lack of resources.” Children are born into rags due to “lack of resources.” My first surgery to shadow was an emergency motor traffic accident under a well-fed Muslim doctor. Walking into the barely air-conditioned OR, I saw the patient had fractured his left tibia completely in half and both shins were ripped open with large masses of displace flesh hanging over pools of dark blood. The surgical staff showed no interest in providing him with clothes nor respect as he laid atop the metal gurney. The surgeon didn 't find importance in closing up the second leg and made the executive decision to leave the wound open and to let it close naturally. Just as naturally, the young man could have died of infection. This decision was made due to lack of respect for human life and lack of work ethic. These are the resources that cannot be found in their storage rooms, costing countless lives.
The debridement of an elderly lady with third-degree burns is branded in my memory. For this procedure, the patient should be completely sedated. As they began, I noticed that anesthesia had not taken effect properly. Without a doctor present, the interns continued even though she cried out in pain. Lack of resources was indubitably the issue. On the surface, it seems as though physical …show more content…
Alex called out that he needed gauze. Seeking to please him, one of the students reached for the surgical tray and Dr. Alex stopped him immediately and asked “do any of you read the bible?” Everyone looked at each other confused. In a room full of healthcare professionals and future physicians, Dr. Alex and I were the only Christians in the room. He continued on, telling the story of Uzzah and the Ark of the Covenant. During travel, the oxen pulling the Ark stumbled and Uzzah grabbed it. Dr. Alex explained that, although with good intention, Uzzah committed an error costing him his life. Similarly, the student, with good intention, almost committed an error which could have cost the patient his life. Dr. Alex helped me see, as Christians, we are equipped with discernment among many other gifts from the one true God. I have seen the dearth of light in places and people without reverence to our Lord Almighty and the way it affects those who are seeking
A common excuse for unacceptable care is “lack of resources.” Patients go without anesthesia for painful procedures due to “lack of resources.” Children are born into rags due to “lack of resources.” My first surgery to shadow was an emergency motor traffic accident under a well-fed Muslim doctor. Walking into the barely air-conditioned OR, I saw the patient had fractured his left tibia completely in half and both shins were ripped open with large masses of displace flesh hanging over pools of dark blood. The surgical staff showed no interest in providing him with clothes nor respect as he laid atop the metal gurney. The surgeon didn 't find importance in closing up the second leg and made the executive decision to leave the wound open and to let it close naturally. Just as naturally, the young man could have died of infection. This decision was made due to lack of respect for human life and lack of work ethic. These are the resources that cannot be found in their storage rooms, costing countless lives.
The debridement of an elderly lady with third-degree burns is branded in my memory. For this procedure, the patient should be completely sedated. As they began, I noticed that anesthesia had not taken effect properly. Without a doctor present, the interns continued even though she cried out in pain. Lack of resources was indubitably the issue. On the surface, it seems as though physical …show more content…
Alex called out that he needed gauze. Seeking to please him, one of the students reached for the surgical tray and Dr. Alex stopped him immediately and asked “do any of you read the bible?” Everyone looked at each other confused. In a room full of healthcare professionals and future physicians, Dr. Alex and I were the only Christians in the room. He continued on, telling the story of Uzzah and the Ark of the Covenant. During travel, the oxen pulling the Ark stumbled and Uzzah grabbed it. Dr. Alex explained that, although with good intention, Uzzah committed an error costing him his life. Similarly, the student, with good intention, almost committed an error which could have cost the patient his life. Dr. Alex helped me see, as Christians, we are equipped with discernment among many other gifts from the one true God. I have seen the dearth of light in places and people without reverence to our Lord Almighty and the way it affects those who are seeking