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VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES FOR RADIOLOGISTS AT KCMC
The Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center, (KCMC) is a 500-bed teaching hospital at the base of Mount Kilimanjaro and the site of the only Radiology residency in the country. In 1988 Helmut and Ro Diefenthal returned to Tanzania to work and teach at KCMC. Since then, many Radiologists and some Radiology residents have visited KCMC to work with the Diefenthals and contribute to the residency. There are residency programs for two-year AMO (Assistant Medical Officer) residents and four-year MD residents. We do not have the equivalent of AMO’s in the USA, but they function as physicians and serve in general practice and in some specialties. The majority of our AMO radiology residents provide the only radiology expertise in local hospitals. Our MD residents are becoming the leaders in Radiology in Tanzania.
HOW LONG DO I VISIT, WHAT DO I DO?
If you are traveling in East Africa, and want to stop for a day or two to see the hospital and program, please do!! If possible let us know ahead of time when to expect your visit.
If you want to volunteer, we encourage visits of a month or longer. Most visiting physicians want some time to see the sights of Tanzania. It also takes some time to get over jet lag and get used to the routine.
Visiting Radiologists cannot do final reads on studies, any more than a visiting Tanzanian Radiologist could do final reads at a hospital in the USA. If you are planning a visit of six months or longer, you may want to go through the process of getting a Tanzanian license. However there is a lot of value you can add to the day at KCMC without getting a license. The day starts with teaching rounds with the different hospital specialty services, and includes reading CT, plain film, and some mammography and fluoroscopy, but the residents spend a good portion of the day performing Ultrasound exams. Visiting Radiologists may bring prepared lectures or cases, review current cases with the residents, or spend time with the residents in Ultrasound. Sitting at the view box and analyzing a CXR or KUB with a resident is greatly appreciated. Power Point or slide presentations can be given, and at the end of the day you can have a beer with a Tanzanian resident and learn about their life!
WHERE DO I STAY?
An efficiency apartment in the Doctor’s compound a short walk from the hospital can be rented for under $200 a month and we can arrange this for visitors There are restaurants and a hospital cafeteria, but food at nearby Markets is plentiful and good. There are always many visiting physicians from the USA, Canada and Europe working at KCMC at any time giving an international flavor to the hospital. A rental car is useful but not essential.
WHOM DO I CONTACT?
Because of the size of the department at KCMC, we try to space out visiting radiologists so that there is one visiting at a time. The East Africa medical Assistance Foundation can be contacted through our web site and we can answer questions and check on dates. Once you have decided to make a visit for more than a few days, a courtesy letter should also be sent to Dr. Mark Swai Director of volunteer services with the dates of your visit to the KCMC Radiology department.
Address:
Dr. Mark Swai.
Office of International Collaboration
Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center
P.O. box 3010
Tanzania.
HOW DO I GET THERE?
There are international flights to the Kilimanjaro Airport, which is close to KCMC. Some visitors have flown into Nairobi Kenya and taken land transportation, but we cannot recommend this at this time.
WHAT ELSE IS THERE TO SEE?
Where do we start?? You will be near to Tarangire National Park, Lake Manyara National Park, Ngorongora Crater, Oldupai Gorge, Serengeti National Park and of course, Mount Kilimanjaro. Dar es Salaam is a short flight away. Safaris can be arranged through local companies, or we can give you the name of a reliable US travel agency that specializes in Tanzanian travel.
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