Pub. 2 2018 Issue 1

team met frequently to discuss our different strengths in teaching and the needs of the host country. Dr. Clark had been in contact with the Minister of Health as well as various leading obstetricians in Moldova to assess their perinatal needs and what we hoped to provide. When we arrived in Moldova, we were met with local translators and drivers set up by the LDS church who helped us to the Level 3, or largest, Hospital in the capital city, Chisinau. Over the course of the next 4 days we taught the ALSO course to some very accomplished, brilliant and very hospitable doctors. The goal was not to teach them new skills or new information necessarily. Certainly, in my case, every single one of the Moldovan physicians we were teaching were significantly more experienced in Obstetrics. Rather, our goal was to teach them a training tool (ALSO), that they could then utilize to train their fellow physicians at the rural Level 1 Hospitals as well as new medical school graduates. An emphasis was placed on hands on practice and simulation as per their report, some of their rural Level 1 physicians may rarely see a shoulder dystocia, post-partum hemorrhage or malpresentation. Yet, they of all providers, need to be prepared for these complications as they are in the most resource poor areas in their country. We utilized incredibly lifelike and resourceful Laerdal mannequins that were donated by the LDS church to teach the courses. At the conclusion of the course, representatives from each hospital were gifted multiple mannequins to help in continuing the ALSO courses at their respective hospitals. A plan for continuing medical education utilizing the ALSO course was instituted with the minister of health who was tasked in ensuring that additional ALSO courses would be taught within the next 6 months by native Moldovan physicians. As I reflect on this experience, which will go down as one of the highlights of my residency if not career, a few things come to mind. First, attempting to teach an OB training program to providers far more experienced than myself required a significant amount of humility but also confidence, qualities worth striving for. Second, reviewing the perinatal mortality statistics, Moldova does a remarkable job compared tomost of the other countries that LDS Charities typically visits. However, when we had the opportunity to visit their hospitals it was eye opening to see what can be done with so little. It is not the beautifully built hospitals, the fancy bells and whistles, or even the amount of money spent that makes a difference in patient’s lives. It is hard working and caring physicians who dedicate themselves to patient care and continuing education.  25 |