Biggest Ever Refresher Course

Main Category: Public Health
Also Included In: Medical Students / Training
Article Date: 24 Jul 2007 - 1:00 PDT

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The Developing Health Course at Oak Hill College has been running over the last two weeks with a record number of participants - 62. They come from 15 different countries, as far apart as Japan and the USA. Some work abroad and are home on leave, others are preparing to work overseas, others are contemplating it. There are doctors, nurses, midwives and therapists - some newly trained and others looking for a new sphere of work in retirement.

The Course is roughly split into 'medical' and 'surgical' weeks. There were more than 50 at the medical week, and more than 25 are doing surgery. Fourteen are attending one of the four Specialist Days, in paediatrics, HIV, surgery and obstetrics.

Many have come through the personal recommendation of previous participants, others through adverts in CMF literature and our websites, or simply through Google. One Japanese doctor heard about the course from a UK CMF member while both were involved in short term mission work in Bangladesh!

One doctor about to go on a short term lecture trip to Malawi was able to meet up with several folk with experience of working there, and with a Malawian who was on the course. A lapsed CMF member herself, she has rejoined CMF and writes:

I greatly enjoyed the first week, and only wish I could have been there for the second. I was most interested to hear of the work being done overseas. The dedication of our colleagues is quite extraordinary. I feel very privileged to have met them…... I found the information gained very useful, especially regarding Malawi. The handouts and CD will be very helpful. I will be able to put together lectures that are more relevant.

Another writes: It was a fantastic week. I learnt so much and met so many amazing people. Thank you.

Each evening participants have been sharing news of their work in countries like Benin, Cameroon, Chad, India, Malawi, Tanzania, the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. These are just very ordinary medics, nurses and therapists telling some extraordinary stories of what God is doing in them and through them as they faithfully serve him, often with very limited resources in difficult and isolated places.

Thanks to all our excellent speakers and session facilitators who freely give of their time and effort to make the course what it is - a unique resource to Christian medics and nurses who year after year much appreciate it and come back for more.

About CMF

Christian Medical Fellowship (CMF) was founded in 1949 and is an interdenominational organisation with over 4,500 British doctor members in all branches of medicine. A registered charity, it is linked to about 60 similar bodies in other countries throughout the world.

The CMF exists to unite Christian doctors to pursue the highest ethical standards in Christian and professional life and to increase faith in Christ and acceptance of his ethical teaching.

http://www.cmf.org.uk

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