Women’s Christian Hospital, Multan, 2015 – Alice Self, medical elective
The Women’s Christian Hospital provides a place of safety for the delivery of more than 7,700 babies a year. It is also home to a small team of expat doctors and midwives who also run a training school for Pakistani midwifery students. I was volunteering as a post F2 doctor, but there was scope to go on the on call rota even as a student.
The day starts with chapel and ward rounds from 7am. There is a breakfast/ tea break at 9am followed by additional rounds and elective surgery. The lunchtime labour ward round precedes delicious curry lunch cooked by the wonderful Norbert.
Clinics run most days and there is additional theatre time for emergency Caesarean Sections. CPD meetings regularly occur with monthly CMF meetings for medical students from the Province.
Clinical experience is available in Obs and Gynae, early childhood medicine, assisting in scanning, theatre and with suturing as well as anaesthesia and clinical rounds.
The on-site accommodation is very comfortable. Running water, electricity and wi-fi are almost constant and the food is delicious. There is also a swimming pool which provides much needed relief from the Pakistani heat and sufficient exercise for those who would otherwise go crazy as you’re not allowed outside the complex without a chaperone.
With a chaperone visits are possible to Islamabad, the Red Mosque (same architect as the Taj Mahal), Lahore, river safaris, The Blue Pottery workshops and other local markets.
It’s worth knowing that anti malarials are not necessary and that it’s really cold in Winter in Pakistan.
My elective was organised through Interserve On Track and cost in the region of £500 plus flights.