Dean Clinic Providers Return from Trip to Africa

Five Dean Providers Offer Medical Services in Ghana as Part of Global Medical Brigades

A group of five Dean Clinic providers recently joined eleven University of Chicago undergraduate students and three other medical professionals on a medical brigade to Central Region Ghana as part of a program called Global Medical Brigades.

Philip Bain, MD, Noelle Dowling, MD, Timothy Lechmeier, MD, Lori Brown, PA-C, and Jeff Welsch, PA-C worked closely with the small community of Asokwa in central Ghana, providing medical care during a three-day clinic and public health education day. They saw nearly 700 patients in the clinic and met with many members of the 600-person farming community. 

“It was a tremendous experience," says Dr. Philip Bain of Dean Clinic - East Internal Medicine. “We were able to learn a great deal about the community during the trip. We saw what type of medical conditions they encountered and got to talk with a wide variety of people during the brigade. We really were able to learn a lot about their culture."

“Our group’s Ghana experience was very rewarding,” according to Dr. Timothy Lechmeier of Dean Clinic – West Internal Medicine. “Despite the mind-boggling poverty, the Ghanian villagers we met and cared for were delightfully cheerful, welcoming, attentive and grateful. I personally feel that I received far more than I gave following our experience." 

Family Medicine physician Dr. Noelle Dowling of Dean Clinic – Fish Hatchery, as well as Physician Assistant Lori Brown, focused their portion of the trip on women’s health, introducing a low-tech alternative to pap smears for cervical cancer screening.

“I felt most gratified by being able to share this technique with some of the local healthcare providers,” says Dr. Dowling. “Hopefully it sustains the work all year and allows them to reach more women."

Global Brigades is a student-led international organization that sponsors brigades involving medical, dental, architectural, water, public health and microfinance programs in Panama, Honduras, and Ghana.