Visit to Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) and last Roseau Trip

Dr. Abrons here again.  To round out our posts, I thought I'd update you on our most recent days.  We took a recent trip to Roseau to Princess Margaret Hospital or PMH.  Princess Margaret Hospital is one of the few hospitals on the island.  We got to spend time with Mr. Erol Thomas, who is the Chief Pharmacist for the Country of Dominica.  Mr. Thomas allowed us to visit both the inpatient and outpatient pharmacies.  Here, unlike in the rural health clinics, computers are used.  The difference from the US is that the computers use an access type program more for inventory purposes.  You do have the capability of searching by patient.  However, you don't get to view a patient profile and there are not interaction checks.  The hospital had access to a much larger supply of medications. There were even some medicationsthere that are currently on backorder in the US.  It was interesting to see where all of the medications were purchased from too.  For example, there were medications from Israel, from India, and largely from Canada.  In fact, we got asked at the hospital if we were Canadian.  The students and I helped prepare prescriptions, and counseled on prescriptions as well.  A great experience, and we were also able to make a connection with a Dominican anesthesiologist.

After the rotation day, we went and purchased a traditional Creole outfit.  I've been here now 3 years for Creole festival and each time make more and more friends.  I promised this year that I would dress in the celebratory attire. 

Then, the owners of Jungle Bay, Sam and Glenda, and I took the students to Creole in the Park.  This is a cultural festival that is sponsored by one of the local cellular phone companies - Lime.  I hope that the students say it provided added exposure to the culture of Dominicans.

Tomorrow, I'll have the students post on lessons that they'll take away from this experience.  I always realize many things about myself when I am here and try to make at least one change for the better.  Last year, I gave up drinking Diet Coke.  This year, I've promised Sam and Glenda that I will make more time to relax and exercise.  Each day that I've been here (with the exception of the last few since we've not been near Jungle Bay), I've started this task by walking the mountain, Paix Bouche.  "Paix Bouche" means "Keep Quiet" in Creole and is an apt name for this mountain: it's supposed to leave you so breathless from the climb that talking is not an option.