Program location
Makwasa is a small, rural town located 62 miles from Blantyre.
Climate/weather
Malawi enjoys a tropical continental climate composed of three main seasons. The hot, humid, rainy season begins in late November and lasts into late April. From May to July, the winter season, day temperatures remain moderately cool and nights are especially cold. Finally, the months of August through October compose Malawi’s dry season, with hot days and warm nights.
Mailing address
Malamulo Hospital, P.O. Box 2, Makwasa, Malawi
Program description
The hospital has four departments (OB/GYN, surgery, medicine, and pediatrics) that interns will rotate through, spending 4 days in each department. Students will became part of a team with other students who are attending the clinical officer (CO) school at Malamulo. Each morning students will do rounds with the other students, have worship, then round with the attending CO’s. In the afternoons, interns have the opportunity to attend classes with the students and observe surgeries.
Site size
The Malamulo Hospital has 220 patient beds and, on average, 75 percent of those beds are occupied. The hospital sees 200 outpatients per day.
Services offered at the site
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Languages
Although English is the official language, Chichewa, the country's second official language, is most commonly spoken. At this site, 95 percent of the staff and 75 percent of the patients speak English.
Accommodations
Participants will be lodged in a guesthouse, which includes a bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen. Meals will be provided by the hospital, including vegetables, beans, potatoes, and fresh fruit. Other amenities include laundry service, running water, and hot showers.
Transportation to site
Participants are responsible for arranging their own air travel. Participants will fly to the international airport in Blantyre. From there, the site will arrange transportation for the student from the airport to the site. Makwasa is located 62 miles from Blantyre and the trip takes one and a half hours by car.
Eligibility
This hospital recruits professionals and students in the following fields: medicine, nursing, dentistry, international public health, health administration, epidemiology/biostatistics, physical therapy, laboratory technology, respiratory therapy, and medical records.
Program fee
Program fees include food, lodging, and transportation from the arrival airport to the site. Program fees do not include air travel or personal travel while in the country. The following costs are approximate and subject to change in conjunction with the site.
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Lodging cost: |
$15.00/night |
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Food cost: |
$5.00/day |
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Transport to site fee: |
$20.00 |
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Estimated total cost: |
$620.00 |
Country information
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/mi.html
Entry requirements
http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/brochures/brochures_1229.html#p
Comment from former student
Do it! The summer I went on the SIMS trip was the best summer of my life! Seriously! Not as much hands on as I had initially hoped for. Also, as a 1st year medical student, there wasn’t a whole lot I could do without guidance from a doctor or someone with experience. Spend as much time following the DOCTORS (not the clinical officers) as you can--they are much more experienced and helpful. BE FLEXIBLE - #1 BEST ADVICE!!
Highly recommend joining! Going on a mission trip after 1st year is a wonderful alternative to research. It's a great opportunity to learn, serve, and travel! I don’t have any negative comments about the trip. Take an active role in becoming involved. Be assertive and confident in what you've learned (even if it feels like it's not much).
This was an awesome experience! Aside from the fact that Malawi is extremely beautiful and that it was a non-stop adventure, getting to know the locals there and getting a feel for what life is like in Malawi was great!
Last Revised: Mon, Jan 08, 2007
