Family Medicine Residency Development
"Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty.” Zechariah 4:6.
Years ago, I had prayed and prayed over the decision to apply to medical school. I either felt like the Lord was calling me to be a doctor or a teacher. At that time, the Lord asked me, “Michelle, why can’t you be both?” Since the beginning of my medical education, I knew that my heart and passion for medicine goes much deeper than just seeing patients and caring for them through their medical problems. I always knew that I would be a teacher in some context.
As a family we prayed over the where the Lord would send us. In 2012, There were rumblings of a family medicine residency in Soddo, but those at Soddo Christian Hospital made it very clear that SCH was in no way ready or planning to start a family medicine residency any time in the near future. God confirmed that we were to serve at SCH and we moved to Ethiopia in 2014, still with no plans to be formally involved in a family medicine residency in Ethiopia… so I thought to myself, I’ll do this term and then come back and join faculty somewhere in order to teach, as I had originally felt called years prior.
Then, in Ethiopia where the bureaucracy is thick and the paperwork tall, things started spiraling into control. In March 2015, the ER patient volume reached critical mass and the administration and executive board of SCH realized we needed more workers. They asked a team from our hospital to attend a family medicine networking conference in Addis. The conference was good, but left more questions than answers in many regards.
As the barriers to a family medicine residency were investigated, they all started to melt away. A short two months later, things were moving and shaking. There was concern about finances… an outside organization, Project MedSend, reported they may be able to help finance some of the residents salary. There were concerns about curriculum… the SIM family medicine faculty were battling the same questions and trying to move forward in a thoughtful and diligent way to encourage the strong growth of this new specialty in Ethiopia. There were questions about how SCH could supply all the rotations and subspecialties well… Myunsung Christian medical Center was excited and enthusiastic to partner with us. There were concerns about no family medicine physicians at Myunsung... an American family medicine physician just contacted Myunsung after the Lord moved his heart at a missions conference. There were concerns about government approval… we quickly received a glowing letter of support from the federal ministry of health to the residency accreditation board (HERQA). There were concerns about HERQA’s perspective on the program… one of our orthopedic surgeons went to advocate to HERQA for our family medicine residency and possible new ortho residency… the HERQA representative knew him and in fact had a friend upon whom he had operated with outstanding results. Such favor!
There I was, just two short months later, not really sure where everything was headed, but realizing that God was moving. Before every question arose, an answer was already rising. It is here that I sat and wondered at my own lack of faith. Every obstacle felt like an insurmountable barrier… just to have a quick answer to that barrier already prepared by the Lord. Why I continued to doubt, I don’t know! It has been an emotional roller coaster, and yet God has been sovereign. I still don’t know what the outcome will be. There are a lot of details yet to finalized, but I can be confident that God is in the details and working. Every step of the way, he is strengthening my faith.
As I lay down one night, feeling totally incapable and inadequate as a young female physician, 33 years old, tired, pregnant and on the brink of something way bigger than myself, the Lord reminded me, if this happens, it is not because you are capable, it is because you are dependent on me, and I am able. It is not through your power or might, it is through MY Spirit. I desire to teach Ethiopian physicians. I desire to disciple them to be strong God-fearing men and women. I desire for the people of Ethiopia to know my love.
It was there that I felt the lightness to take a deep breathe. It was as if I stood on top of a mountain, forged by the Lord, overlooking his master piece. I felt totally overwhelmed, yet totally at peace. Realizing that the dreams the Lord placed on my heart so many years ago were small. As I walked along the path the Lord has prepared, not only does he desire for me to be a teacher and physician in the traditional sense, but also to encourage spiritual maturity and create disciple makers at the same time. This is a job description and joy far greater than I could have ever dreamed.
“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” Ephesians 3:20
Years ago, I had prayed and prayed over the decision to apply to medical school. I either felt like the Lord was calling me to be a doctor or a teacher. At that time, the Lord asked me, “Michelle, why can’t you be both?” Since the beginning of my medical education, I knew that my heart and passion for medicine goes much deeper than just seeing patients and caring for them through their medical problems. I always knew that I would be a teacher in some context.
As a family we prayed over the where the Lord would send us. In 2012, There were rumblings of a family medicine residency in Soddo, but those at Soddo Christian Hospital made it very clear that SCH was in no way ready or planning to start a family medicine residency any time in the near future. God confirmed that we were to serve at SCH and we moved to Ethiopia in 2014, still with no plans to be formally involved in a family medicine residency in Ethiopia… so I thought to myself, I’ll do this term and then come back and join faculty somewhere in order to teach, as I had originally felt called years prior.
Then, in Ethiopia where the bureaucracy is thick and the paperwork tall, things started spiraling into control. In March 2015, the ER patient volume reached critical mass and the administration and executive board of SCH realized we needed more workers. They asked a team from our hospital to attend a family medicine networking conference in Addis. The conference was good, but left more questions than answers in many regards.
As the barriers to a family medicine residency were investigated, they all started to melt away. A short two months later, things were moving and shaking. There was concern about finances… an outside organization, Project MedSend, reported they may be able to help finance some of the residents salary. There were concerns about curriculum… the SIM family medicine faculty were battling the same questions and trying to move forward in a thoughtful and diligent way to encourage the strong growth of this new specialty in Ethiopia. There were questions about how SCH could supply all the rotations and subspecialties well… Myunsung Christian medical Center was excited and enthusiastic to partner with us. There were concerns about no family medicine physicians at Myunsung... an American family medicine physician just contacted Myunsung after the Lord moved his heart at a missions conference. There were concerns about government approval… we quickly received a glowing letter of support from the federal ministry of health to the residency accreditation board (HERQA). There were concerns about HERQA’s perspective on the program… one of our orthopedic surgeons went to advocate to HERQA for our family medicine residency and possible new ortho residency… the HERQA representative knew him and in fact had a friend upon whom he had operated with outstanding results. Such favor!
There I was, just two short months later, not really sure where everything was headed, but realizing that God was moving. Before every question arose, an answer was already rising. It is here that I sat and wondered at my own lack of faith. Every obstacle felt like an insurmountable barrier… just to have a quick answer to that barrier already prepared by the Lord. Why I continued to doubt, I don’t know! It has been an emotional roller coaster, and yet God has been sovereign. I still don’t know what the outcome will be. There are a lot of details yet to finalized, but I can be confident that God is in the details and working. Every step of the way, he is strengthening my faith.
As I lay down one night, feeling totally incapable and inadequate as a young female physician, 33 years old, tired, pregnant and on the brink of something way bigger than myself, the Lord reminded me, if this happens, it is not because you are capable, it is because you are dependent on me, and I am able. It is not through your power or might, it is through MY Spirit. I desire to teach Ethiopian physicians. I desire to disciple them to be strong God-fearing men and women. I desire for the people of Ethiopia to know my love.
It was there that I felt the lightness to take a deep breathe. It was as if I stood on top of a mountain, forged by the Lord, overlooking his master piece. I felt totally overwhelmed, yet totally at peace. Realizing that the dreams the Lord placed on my heart so many years ago were small. As I walked along the path the Lord has prepared, not only does he desire for me to be a teacher and physician in the traditional sense, but also to encourage spiritual maturity and create disciple makers at the same time. This is a job description and joy far greater than I could have ever dreamed.
“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” Ephesians 3:20
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