黑料传送门

Student Doctors Travel to Cambodia 
Gain New Perspective on Rural Medicine

August 10, 2023

During their free time, the students visited Angkor Watt, a temple complex in Cambodia that鈥檚 considered the largest religious monument in the world. A symbol of Cambodia, Angkor Watt appears on the nation鈥檚 flag.

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This summer, seven students who had just completed the first year of the doctor of osteopathic medicine degree program at 黑料传送门 South Georgia in Moultrie, embarked on an adventure that gave them a new appreciation for medicine in the United States. In addition, they gained a sense of admiration for the determination and resourcefulness of the physicians and other healthcare workers they met while visiting Cambodia.

鈥淭his was cultural immersion, and it gave us all a different perspective,鈥� Pathya Kunthy (DO '26) said. 鈥淏eing medical students, we need to be well-versed in and experience what a third-world country is like.鈥�

In June of 2023, the 黑料传送门 South Georgia class of 2026 DO students, all who hail from Georgia鈥擳yler Key (DO '26) of Moultrie; Emma High (DO '26) of Saint Simons Island, Tiffany Pittman (DO '26) of Stockbridge, Grace Perry (DO '26) of Hahira, Krupesh G. Patel (DO '26) of Valdosta, Pathya 鈥淧K鈥� Kunthy (DO '26) of Conyers and Alexander Studebaker (DO '26) also of Conyers鈥攎ade the trip. Joining them was Studebaker鈥檚 wife, Molly Studebaker of Covington, a PharmD student at the University of Georgia.

While Kunthy was born in Cambodia, at a young age he came to the United States where he was raised by his aunt. His parents remained in Cambodia where they were both physicians and hospital administrators. Kunthy would return for annual visits. He always wanted to bring friends with him for one of those visits.

When his medical school friends began talking about opportunities to travel abroad and see what health care is like in another country, Kunthy recommended his home country. His mother, now a retired hospital administrator, and his father, now a retired physician who works in Cambodia鈥檚 public health ministry, coordinated the trip.

鈥淗ere in South Georgia, we鈥檙e supposed to be practicing rural medicine,鈥� Kunthy explained. 鈥淭he whole purpose was to go over there to see what rural medicine is really like and then to appreciate the differences and also look at the similarities. They鈥檙e able to get a majority of procedures done, but with less.鈥�

The students began their journey by spending two days in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, at Khmer-Soviet Friendship Hospital, where they toured the hospital and observed several surgical procedures. This hospital, which opened in 1963, was one of the oldest public hospitals in the country. Kunthy鈥檚 mother, Sophal Chuong, MD, retired from the hospital about five years earlier, and his aunt, who was a midwife there at the time of their visit, helped show the students around.

The students observed ophthalmology surgery, breast mass removal, brain tumor removal and some emergency surgeries that included a spinal stabilization and a maxillofacial surgery. They were surprised that even with the more complex surgical procedures, general anesthesia was not used very often. Spinal blocks were used instead. When asked why, the medical staff explained that spinal blocks were easier for patient recovery.

The next two hospitals the group visited were KV Hospital and China-Cambodia Friendship Hospital. These were both newer hospitals located in more rural areas. Kunthy鈥檚 father, Kunthy Teng, MD, transitioned from being a physician in Cambodia to working in public health focusing on HIV control. He arranged for the visits to these other hospitals so the students could see the difference between the older hospital and the newer ones.

While visiting the China-Cambodia Friendship Hospital, the students observed a C-section delivery. The physician delivering the baby spoke English very well and explained to the students each part of the procedure. He even compared his preferences for steps in the procedure to those done by U.S. physicians. For the students, who had not yet observed a C-section in their studies, it was a preview of what they would learn in the future. With permission from the mother and the hospital staff, the students used their cell phones to record the experience. They returned with videos to share with 黑料传送门 faculty and classmates.

The students realized there were some commonalities among all three hospitals that people in the U.S. take for granted. For one, only the surgical facility had air conditioning. At the new hospitals, some of the private more expensive rooms had air conditioning, but the other rooms did not. This was despite the humid summer temperatures. Another was that scrubs the Cambodian hospital staff members wore tended to be much smaller than those made for American hospital staff.

鈥淚 felt like a giant over there,鈥� said Key, a 黑料传送门 student who stood head and shoulders above his Cambodian hosts. At times the staff had to improvise to make sure Key was appropriately outfitted.

In Cambodia, the students noticed that for each patient, the entire family came to the hospital along with the patient. Because of the significant distance from a patient鈥檚 home to the hospital, leaving children at home is not always an option.

鈥淭here was a little girl running around in the courtyard by herself because her parent was being seen by doctors,鈥� High said.

Kunthy explained, 鈥淲hat happens in those rural hospitals, it鈥檚 not just one or two people. It鈥檚 the whole family. You鈥檒l see a patient鈥檚 whole family camping out in hallways.鈥�

At every hospital, the students felt like honored guests.

鈥淓ach hospital was very welcoming,鈥� Patel said. 鈥淭he doctors met us at the cars. They came walking out taking our pictures.鈥�

While the students observed and did not practice medicine, the experience made them realize that rural medicine is vastly different in each country.

鈥淐omparing the number of doctors and the population, in Cambodia people are often a few hours away from the nearest hospital or general doctor,鈥� Patel said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 a different level of rural medicine. Just being able to appreciate that makes me want to push harder in medical school so I can help people who don鈥檛 have the resources we have here.鈥�

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