It's always exciting to hear from participants in Weill Cornell Anesthesiology’s Global Health Elective. This year, we celebrated the 12th trip to our sister hospitals in Amritsar, Punjab, India — the Sri Guru Ram Das Insitute of Medicine, and Amandeep Trauma Hospital — with a group that included CA-3s Corinne LeVine, Evelyn Bae, John Rubin, Christina Lee and Iris Chu, and faculty Drs. Paul Riegelhaupt and Sonny Sablohk.
Dr. John Rubin sent some highlights:
Above, Drs. Corinne LeVine and chief resident John Rubin help with an ultrasound-guided interscalene block for a shoulder arthroscopy at the Sri Guru Ram Das Institute of Medicine.
Corinne, Evelyn, John and Paul visit a school run by Master Ajit Singh (middle right, above) in the neighborhood of Maqboolpura. Founded nearly 20 years ago, the school offers free education for children in this neighborhood, which is notoriously afflicted by drug addiction. It now services 437 students from Kindergarten through grammar school (age 16). Master Singh tries to provide an education for his students to foster growth and the opportunity for a better life, but also to shield and protect them from drug addiction by physically attending the school daily.
At the Golden Temple
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On their first visit to the Golden Temple during the day, Corinne, Evelyn, John and Paul reflect on the majesty and sanctity of the temple to the Sikh people. They observe pilgrims washing the marble floors with holy water and sweeping the temple grounds with brooms, above.
Corinne, Evelyn, John and Paul meet up with Christina and Iris in Lehragaga, a small farming village about 5 hours by car southeast of Amritsar. There, they meet with Jaijee Singh, known as “Jaijee Uncle,” an Indian humanitarian, philanthropist and statesman, who at 92-years-young runs a charity and school aimed at the victims of farmer suicide in this region. The crew spends two days in the village speaking with the families of victims, coming to better appreciate the forces that drive these farmers and laborers towards suicide, as well as the unique economic, cultural and political challenges facing the people living in the villages.
Iris, Christina and Sonny spend two days working at the Amandeep Trauma Hospital in Amritsar. Above, they take a photo with some of the consultant anesthesiologists working at the hospital, including their chair, Dr. Ravi (seated to the right of Sonny).