It’s been far too long since I last posted, but this blog was really supposed to be a record of what I was up to in 2007 when I was working as a Surgeon in Kiwoko Hospital, Uganda. I returned for a visit recently, and realised just how much I missed working there, and just how unsatisfying I am finding my current UK life. I think there are a number of reasons for this, and I probably need to sort out a few of my issues here in Scotland before making definite plans to return long-term – although this is a definite possibility!
Living in community is a big feature of Ugandan life, and something we don’t do particularly well in this country. There’s something very wonderful about living as part of a Mission Hospital community. Although living in my own small house, my immediate neighbours included several other ex-pats, and most of the Ugandan staff lived on site too. There’s always other people around, and Ugandan’s are the most friendly, genuine, respectful and welcoming people I’ve met. Starting each day with your colleagues in a short service of worship, teaching and prayer before heading off to live out your faith together in all that you do at work is an amazing and energising way of life!
At present I’m working a couple of hours away from home, so I live in the hospital during the week and only get back at weekends, so I’m completely missing any sense of community at present. It’s difficult not to feel very isolated, and it’s hard to meet up with friends when you only have limited time in the same city. I’m also studying for more professional exams, further keeping me away from being sociable! Hopefully these things will improve when I move back to my local hospital in August, and get the exam out of the way.
Working as a doctor in Uganda is also incredibly rewarding. If you read some of the other posts below, you’ll realise just how obviously worthwhile is everything you do there. Patients only come to hospital when they have something reasonably seriously wrong, and often they can’t afford to go anywhere else for help. The buck stops with you, and you do the best you can to help, knowing that there’s no alternative. The vast majority of patients recover well from their operations or other treatment, and are very grateful for all you have done (and I must give a lot of credit to God for many miraculous events I’ve seen along the way!). The work is hard, time consuming, and thoroughly satisfying!
A lot of the time work in the UK seems much less satisfying. Patients are much more demanding, they expect to have perfect health and often blame the doctor when this isn’t the case. Work time is limited by European Working Time, and so work-patterns involve a series of shifts and handovers of patients – there is less of a relationship with patients and less continuity of care, which ends up being demoralising. The emphasis is on patient throughput, and often you don’t again get to see patients you’ve admitted or even operated on! I’m envious of the surgeons of 30 years ago who enjoyed much more autonomy, and were able to practise in a more holistic way. Perhaps this side of things will improve once I complete my specialist training and become a consultant next year.
Spiritually things are harder here in the UK too – it somehow seems easier to totally depend on God for everything when you’re in an environment where there is little else. As one Ugandan said to me, “In the West you have God and things, here we just have God!” There is a definite tendency when one has much to depend more on yourself and what you have rather than surrendering everything to God’s care. That’s another challenge for me here in the UK.
Meanwhile I continue to enjoy great friendships with many Ugandans who stay in touch through the occasional email or phone call. It was fantastic on my recent visit to be welcomed back in such a loving way, and it’s very encouraging to feel so obviously wanted and loved. I’m surprised I’ve still not settled back into the UK after well over a year... perhaps Developing World medicine really is my calling!
Steve
