The Department of Surgery offers an 8-week elective General Surgery rotation for one resident (typically a PGY-3) at Mzuzu Central Hospital in Malawi, Africa. In partnership with the University of Cincinnati, the program collaborates with our host institution in Malawi to provide an unparalleled educational experience for our residents and consistent delivery of enhanced and much-needed surgical services to the local community.

While at Mzuzu Central Hospital, our residents participate in rounds, run outpatient clinics, and perform basic and complex general and pediatric operations. In addition to the clinical services they provide, our residents actively participate in educational programs for the Malawian clinical officers (non-physician surgical providers) and nursing students in every aspect of patient care.

A district hospital and referral center in the Northern region of Malawi, Mzuzu Central Hospital serves a catchment area of approximately 2.5 million people. During the two-month rotation, our residents perform over 100 operations including head and neck, pediatric, gastrointestinal, urologic, and endoscopic procedures.

Since starting this rotation in 2017, the following residents have traveled to Malawi:

• 2024: Anticipated: Julia Sullivan, MD, and Tateum Mattingly, MD
• 2022: Patrick Chizek DO, Quinn Nix MD, & Corey Houschell DO
• 2021: Covid-19 (no residents)
• 2020: Covid-19 (no residents)
• 2019: Mrinalini Patil, M.D.
• 2019: Sumaiya Sarwar, M.D.
• 2018: Sam Hong, M.D.
• 2017: Randi Ryan, M.D.