Learning alongside OBGYN colleagues in Rwanda

Jillian Gilroy, a obstetrics & gynecology resident at UBC, spent one month completing an elective in Rwanda.

"Reflecting on my month-long elective in Rwanda as an OBGYN resident, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the myriad of emotions and experiences that shaped my time there. As part of the expanding partnership between UBC and UR, I was entering this elective without a robust global health background; I was excited but also extremely nervous about the uncertainty of what to expect, and how I might be able to contribute.

Soon after I arrived, it became clear that no pre-departure session could fully prepared me for the realities of working in a vastly different system. My interactions with the medical students and residents at CHUB in Hyue were nothing short of exceptional. I felt welcomed and was guided through their system. I initially felt quite self-conscious about slowing things down, as I needed a lot of explanation on how things worked, and of course extra time was taken to translate conversations between patients. I felt like I had become a persistent squeaky wheel in a well-oiled machine. Our colleagues were patient and kind, and day by day I felt like I fit better into this mechanism they had, and not like an obstructive component in it.

I noticed a shift as well in how students and other learners would engage with me. We collaborated on how best to look after patients, had each other repeat exams and review plans for more complicated clinical cases. When this was happening, I felt like we were at the peak of learning from and with each other and these were moments that highlighted to me how great these partnerships can be.

The learning was not without its difficulties. The stark reality of limited resources and financial constraints often left myself and UBC colleagues feeling helpless, unable to provide a level of care we desired. Patients’ ability to pay and follow through with recommended treatments further complicated matters, leaving many cases unresolved. It was a humbling reminder of the stark disparities that exist within global healthcare and that these realities are faced by both patients and providers.

I also found myself questioning my own biases and assumptions. At times, it was too easy to compare the Rwandan healthcare system to what I was accustomed to back home, despite realizing the unfairness of these judgements. Being embedded in healthcare in Rwanda was a very frank lesion in confronting my own biases and privilege head-on, and I think this is something I continue to pause and reflect on.

My month in Rwanda was transformative, in many ways. I feel incredibly humbled when I look at my role in the scope of medicine and realize that on my own, I would have contributed very little. Without our Rwandan colleagues being so accepting of us being there, and willing to teach us, this elective doesn’t work. I am forever grateful to our colleagues and the patients we met, for allowing us to share their spaces. As I return home, I carry a newfound appreciation for the power of collaboration, and how this really is in the forefront in sustainable approaches to global healthcare."