December 4, 2023年——在获得医师助理(PA)硕士学位的过程中完成临床轮转总是一段紧张而大开眼界的经历. For four students in Marist’s PA master’s program, this experience went far beyond the average clinical training. 

Caitlin Conner, Mbuyi Kalemba, Ryan Morris, and Aleisann Wolliaston are the first Marist cohort that chose to complete one of their required rotations in Ghana, 让他们接触各种重要的技术和文化技能，这将提高他们在美国的工作能力.S. healthcare system. All four are working toward earning their degrees in 2024. The experience is part of Marist’s collaboration with the University of Cape Coast (UCC), which immerses students in the heart of Ghana’s healthcare landscape.

“这些轮岗让学生们具备文化意识、能力和敏感性，”她说 Shirley Fletcher-Hall, Coordinator of Clinical Education. “他们的目的是加强学生对医疗保健差异的教育，并为他们与不同种族背景的患者互动和治疗做好充分准备。.”

加纳的轮转是学生们将完成的9个轮转中的第5个，作为PA硕士学位的一部分. They each split their time between two hospitals in the region, where they assessed patients, participated in bedside procedures, and gained insights into the way healthcare works in the country. 

从左至右:Aleisann Wolliaston, Ryan Morris, Caitlin Conner和Mbuyi Kalemba. Photo by Nelson Echeverria/Marist College.

Kalemba曾在温尼巴的创伤和专科医院以及特福普拉索的地区医院工作. From assisting in C-sections to discussing treatment plans with providers, her time in Ghana was professionally enriching and personally fulfilling.

“我来自非洲，我想回去，真正扎根那里，体验那里的医疗保健,” she said. “This was such a unique experience that many clinicians don’t get, and I think it broadens my perspective as a PA student and future PA.”

Mbuyi Kalemba站在温内巴创伤和专科医院外. Photo courtesy of Mbuyi Kalemba 'M24.

Conner, 谁在参加PA项目之前获得了公共卫生理学硕士学位, said that her time at Cape Coast Teaching Hospital and St. 位于Assin Fosu的Francis Xavier医院让她感受到了医疗实践与她在美国所习惯的不同.

“There were several things that stood out to me,” Conner said. “例如，抗生素可以在柜台上买到，不需要处方. There is also still a fairly large reliance on herbal medicine, 而且患者往往为了先尝试草药而推迟治疗，或者为了服用草药而停止服用处方药.”

凯特琳·康纳在回到bet亚洲365欢迎投注的波基普西校区后，在默里学生中心展示了她的经历和研究成果. Photo by Nelson Echeverria/Marist College.

接近这些差异是加纳经历如此独特的部分原因, and helps students better understand the global healthcare picture.

Fletcher-Hall说:“在美国，诊断和实验室检测很容易获得. 在加纳，研究生依靠批判性思维来评估和诊断他们的病人.”

Wolliaston在家庭医学工作，他发现这段经历是课堂知识和现实应用之间的桥梁. 

Aleisann Wolliaston(右)在温内巴的创伤和专科医院工作. Photo courtesy of Aleisann Wolliaston 'M24.

“我认为像这样的经历对于医疗保健学生或提供者来说很重要，因为它可以帮助你与其他提供者建立跨专业的关系，并帮助你在文化上有竞争力," Wolliaston said.

While learning about the specifics of medical practices, 学生们也有机会在加纳体现玛丽斯特对社区服务的承诺.

莫里斯和康纳在同一家医院工作，他帮助组织了一场医疗用品运动. Recognizing the disparities in resources, he mobilized efforts to collect donations, including $400 in cash, 一个新的自动体外除颤器和各种医疗和学习用品.

瑞安·莫里斯和凯特琳·康纳与同事和通过他们的捐赠活动收集到的医疗用品. Photo courtesy of Ryan Morris 'M24.

“As Marist students, and students in medicine, 我觉得无论我们走到哪里，我们都想努力产生积极的影响，收集捐款是我们能做的最起码的事情,” Morris said. “Being the first cohort to participate in this rotation, 对我们来说同样重要的是，我们对有机会去加纳医院并与他们的学生一起学习表示感谢.”

Beyond the medical setting, all four students were able to explore the region where they lived, 参观国家公园和重要的历史地区，学习文化传统.

“The experience was amazing culturally,” said Kalemba. “加纳人民非常友好、热情，他们张开双臂接受了我们.”

Reflecting on their experience, 每个学生都明确地向未来的PA学生推荐加纳轮转. 莫里斯强调了它独特的医疗保健和文化沉浸的融合:“我觉得有机会体验加纳丰富的文化, especially as intimately as we did, 对培养同理心和开放的心态来说，是罕见而又极其重要的吗. Both of these are invaluable to the modern-day healthcare provider."

bet亚洲365欢迎投注的目标是进一步发展与海岸角大学的合作, which according to the Times Higher Education is among Africa’s top universities. 

“This partnership presents opportunities to work together on many levels, including faculty and student exchanges, joint research opportunities, academic programming, and more,” said Gavin Webb, Dean of International Programs. “我们的医师助理研究部门之间的合作有望成为Marist和UCC之间不断发展的关系的众多机会中的第一个.”