Postcard from Tanzania
University of Calgary medical student David
Terriff worked and studied in Dar es Salaam and Arusha, Tanzania,
as part of a study abroad program. This is his postcard home.
 What motivated you to study abroad?
I fell in love with Tanzania and its people during my previous
volunteer experience. As a medical student, I wanted to experience
how medicine is practiced in a developing country that has
been hugely impacted by HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria and particularly
to learn more about tropical medicine.
Tell us about your experience.
Three weeks of my medical elective were in Dar es Salaam, the
major port city in Tanzania. I rotated through several hospitals
learning different areas of medicine including surgery, obstetrics,
pediatrics, internal medicine and family practice. I was also
fortunate to spend one week working in Arusha’s charity hospital. I learned some Kiswahili, but still couldn’t converse fluently with patients. I depended heavily on the doctors and nurses to translate for me.
What were the hospitals like?
Tanzanian hospitals in general are overcrowded, unde-staffed
and under-funded. In the pediatrics ward, I saw two children
with two mothers per bed. They fit 32 people into what would
be a typical single hospital room in Calgary. The majority
of people on the wards were dying of preventable diseases that
had progressed to the point where they were terminal. In addition,
people have to pay for health care because the government has
so few resources.
Did any interesting incidents occur?
While walking down the street, a Somali refugee approached
me, recognizing me as a medical student from the nearby guesthouses,
and asked me to look at his arm and shoulder because a bus
had hit him the day before. It was clear he was in significant
pain and likely had a fractured forearm. The scary part was
the coldness in his hand, the loss of sensation and the inability
to move his fingers, which suggested he had developed compartment
syndrome. This means the swelling in his arm was cutting off
the blood supply to his hand. Although I gave him enough money
to see a doctor and get an X-ray, he would likely still need
surgery. I never saw him again.
Upon reflection, what do you feel this experience has brought
to your life?
I have learned a tremendous amount about how resilient humans
can be. I saw so many people suffering and dying in the hospitals,
yet they remained so positive. I spent time in rural villages
with entire families living in mud houses, struggling to find
enough food to eat every day. Those people taught me the value
of community and generosity and how important it is for happiness.
What surprised you?
 It was difficult doing morning rounds and witnessing patient
after patient dying from treatable diseases because of a lack
of resources. I don’t know if there is anything in Canada that could have prepared me for what I saw on the wards. I also had not anticipated seeing patients’ family members cooking for them right at the hospital, and was shocked to see dozens of coffin shops just outside the gates of the hospital.
What are your future plans?
After two more years in my MD degree, I would like to further
my studies by specializing in either internal medicine or psychiatry
and continue working in developing countries.
For more information on study abroad programs please visit
the Centre for International Students and Study Abroad website
(www.ucalgary.ca/ISC/).
This postcard was supplied by the International Centre.
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