VCOM View Vol 10 No 1

Preparing for a Future of Service After graduating from VCOM-Carolinas with the Class of 2016, Dr. Porter’s residency at Via Christi Family Medicine in Wichita, Kansas built on her VCOM foundation. The residency added high-risk obstetrics skills, some training in tropical medicine and proficiency in performing cesarean sections. “I did my training in Family medicine, but I made sure to find a program that had a focus on International Medicine and also had a focus on Obstetrics,” said Porter. As Dr. Porter described her education at VCOM and beyond, she was clear that every new chapter was built on the previous one. This resulted in an exceptionally well-rounded physician, board certified in Family Medicine, highly skilled in obstetrics, with a heart for serving those most in need. “I took an elective in gynecologic oncology, assisting in hysterectomies. I also took a month-long international rotation, which is how my husband and I heard of the amazing ministry opportunities in Niger and came to choose our country in West Africa,” said Porter.

Discovering an Underserved Community The Porters heard about the health center in Danja, when they were in a neighboring West African city during her international rotation in residency. Back home in the U.S., the Porters learned more about the needs in Niger and after much prayer, decided to move to Africa. In February of 2020, the Porters left their friends, family, colleagues and the comforts of home, embarking on their mission. The early weeks of March found them digging into language studies and devoting themselves to acclimating to the unwelcoming West African climate of relentless heat and pervasive dust, leading to allergic reactions. But 2020 had more in store for the Porters (and the world) than those challenges. In the wake of the global COVID-19 pandemic, many in Niger lost their jobs and access to food. By late June, the Danja Health Center felt the impact. In a newsletter, Dr. Ryan Porter updated friends, “Chelsea’s desire has always been to share the love of Jesus with marginalized women by providing healthcare, and she has been interested in learning the procedure to repair fistulas for a while. Sadly, this

18

www.vcom.edu/view