Success in Suchitoto

Traditional Ensemble

What remains of the original OR, bombed during the civil war

My roommate Grace, a local medical student, and I

My exam room

Lessons in Identifying Pre-Cancerous Lesions

Pink

We had some time for leisure on Monday

With the mayor of Suchitoto

After several meetings with the mayor, our delegation was made able to open on Tuesday, only one day after originally planned. Unfortunately many roads were still blocked and we were inaccessible for many. Still, over the course of those four days, we examined nearly 500 women for pre cancerous lesions, and treated those who presented with suspect cell differentiation.

I spent Tuesday and Wednesday in the modestly sized clinic room as a translator for an Italian doctor (who currently resides in New York City) and an El Salvadoran practitioner. Dr. D was nothing short of brilliant- his knowledge and patience showed no bounds as he obligingly indulged my intellectual curiosity. On Thursday however, he returned to New York, leaving me alone with the local health provider who surprisingly relied heavily on my insight when making diagnostic and treatment decisions. I had had a brief lecture-style training in identifying lesions, but it was my experience with Dr. D that best prepared me to take on this responsibility. I was humbled by everything I witnessed this week.