My Medical Elective Experience in Kenya

Spending time working in the medical field in Africa had long been a dream of mine, and thanks to Elective Africa that dream became a reality this Spring. From the moment I arrived at the airport in Mombasa, I felt welcomed and supported by the team. My accommodations had all the comforts of home, including delicious meals prepared by a wonderful cook!

I spent my month at Coast Provincial General Hospital in the maternity ward where I was carefully paired up with doctors who took great pride in their work and loved to teach. I felt more included in patient care at CPGH than on many of my medical school rotations back in the United States. Many of the cases I saw would be extremely rare to witness back home. The Elective Africa team worked tirelessly to ensure I got to see and experience all aspects of their local healthcare system that I had initially expressed interest in seeing during our pre-trip discussions. I was also pleased with the flexibility of my schedule, which allowed me to work varying hours throughout the week to see the most interesting cases at the busiest times.  

Kenya is a beautiful country with many hidden gems, so the team helped direct my free time to be able to fit in as much sightseeing and community service as possible. I highly recommend the Maasai Mara and Lake Nakuru safari option. These were the most breathtaking landscapes I have ever seen in my life and a provided a relaxing balance to my days spent working in the hospital.  

Kate Brendel

Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine