Remedy 2018

I am a cardiothoracic and general surgeon, and have been working essentially full-time at Tenwek Hospital in Kenya since 1997.  I have special areas of interest in two particular clinical entities and one area of education.  The first area of clinical interest and research is esophageal cancer.  Esophageal cancer is the most common malignancy among men in Kenya, and the third most common malignancy in women.  I initially developed the endoscopy unit at Tenwek Hospital in 1997, and introduced stenting for palliative treatment in 1998. I furthermore developed a two-year position in research and endoscopy for young Kenyan doctors with an interest in these areas. 

 

I have further special interest in rheumatic heart disease, and over the past 10 years, Tenwek Hospital has become a major center of referral for patients with cardiothoracic disease, including rheumatic heart disease, congenital heart defects, and esophageal cancer.  In 2018, we will begin our formal fellowship training program for general surgeons wishing to take three additional years of training in cardiothoracic surgery.

 

Finally, I have a great interest in post-graduate surgical education.  As a clinical professor of surgery with Brown University, I teach the skills of surgery and faculty development to a broad audience.  We began medical post-graduate education at Tenwek in 1997 with an approved internship training program.  This has grown to include now full training in family practice, general surgery, and orthopedic surgery.  I am the deputy chairman of the examination and credentialing committee for the College of Surgeons of East, Central, and Southern Africa (COSECSA).  COSECSA is the training and credentialing body for the majority of surgical training in thirteen countries in the sub-Saharan African region.