Dr. Timothy Brown
Dr. Timothy Brown’s IVUmed scholarship experience in Bhopal, India was made possible by the support of the Resident Scholar Alumni Fund. During his time in India, Dr. Brown was accompanied by mentor, Sakti Das, MD, another IVUmed Resident Scholar, Kerri Brown, MD, and many other doctors that participated in the 75th Mega Free Urology Camp.
Regarding his experience in India, Dr. Brown reported, “Although we wouldn’t begin operating until the next day, the Urology camp was well underway. The hospital was filled with patients completing their preoperative evaluations and imaging. This was the first time I began to appreciate the magnitude of this camp and its dependence on a remarkable group of local physicians. It is this group of doctors that made this operation possible by providing countless hours of pre- and post-operative care. In total, 646 patients were evaluated and 156 of them would end up undergoing surgeries over the next 3 days.”
“Not surprisingly, we operated without the same level of technology and resources at our disposal that I have grown accustomed to while training at a major medical center in the U.S. Who knew you could still practice medicine without a CT scanner? While we were forced to use older equipment and deal with occasional power outages, the experience reinforced the notion that while technology changes, surgical principles remain the same. Meanwhile, while the facilities and resources may have been of lesser quality to what is available in the U.S., the ability of the Indian urologists was far from inferior. What they lacked in equipment, they more than made up for with skill.”
“My experience with the Bhopal urology camp has drastically changed my view of international medical volunteerism.
Surgical Team
Prior to this trip, I envisioned international medical work as expeditions to remote corners of the earth to deliver needed care. The Bhopal Urology Camp was far more than this. It is a finely orchestrated operation.”