Skip to content

Penn State Hershey Ghana team update, Feb.9

Editor’s note:  Penn State Hershey clinical participants (senior medical students, residents, nurse practitioner students and faculty) are currently in rural Ghana to support and provide training for Ghanaian clinicians at the Eastern Regional Hospital. The team is sending periodic updates while there. Today, Reena Thomas, a Class of 2016 medical student, gives the update. 

Photo of Penn State Hershey team in Ghana

The Penn State Hershey team visits Kakum National Park during some down time.

Hello everyone!

Elizabeth and I finished up in pediatrics last week, but also did a few shifts in the emergency department with Jeff, Angela and Dr. Malone. We’ve been a seeing so much. There have been many cases of tuberculosis, meningitis, malnutrition, strokes, cerebral abscesses, HIV etc. In fact, Kofiridua has the highest rate of HIV in Ghana.

A lot of the things we see here have also been infectious in nature, or people don’t present to the doctors till their conditions have progressed. It’s been eye opening to say the least, and we’ve been learning a lot. It’s also been great having Dr. Malone here, and getting his perspective on everything.

On Saturday we decided to make a day trip to Kakum National park where we walked the canopy in the jungles, and then visited a castle in Cape Coast.

Haley, Krishna, Kate and Christine arrived on Sunday. We’re excited to work with them over the next few weeks.

If you're having trouble accessing this content, or would like it in another format, please email the Penn State College of Medicine web department.