Hello,
I grew up surrounded by the sprawling, flat cornfields of Central Illinois but was always interested in experiencing more of the world. Since choosing to pursue a medical career as a Physician Assistant in college I have had an interest in international medical missions and have made several trips to Central America. More recently, I have gained an interest in Sub-Saharan Africa, with its immense health workforce shortage, heavy burden of disease, and staggering rates of early mortality. I graduated from PA school in the culturally diverse city of Nashville last year, having developed a great appreciation for the refugee populations there, and moved out to Southern California to begin an Emergency Medicine Fellowship last fall. In conjunction with this fellowship, I also decided to enroll in a Doctor of Medical Science program to gain a better understanding of global health issues and better equip me to engage in international and public health, education, and research. One of my interests has been to assist in planting an international medical clinic, specifically in Sub-Saharan Africa. Therefore, as part of the doctorate program, I decided to do a research project wherein I would interview individuals from organizations that have been involved in planting Community Health Centers in Sub-Saharan Africa to learn from them the common challenges they faced and successful strategies they used to overcome these challenges.
I am early on in this crusade and am looking to connect with individuals who have been involved in planting these types of clinics so that I can learn from them about their experience. My ultimate goal is to publish my research in order to share the practical knowledge I gain from this project with others who have a passion for international medical missions, as well as to personally apply it in my quest to help establish a medical center in an underserved international area.
If you or anyone you know of has helped plant an international clinic and would be willing to talk with me about your experience, please reach out to me at jeremy.m.gerber@gmail.com! I would greatly appreciate it.
