Former VMFH Resident Leads Life-Saving Work in Africa

 
Nearly 20 years ago, Gregory Sund, MD, walked the halls of Virginia Mason Medical Center (VMMC) as an anesthesiology resident. At the time, he didn’t realize how far the skills he was gaining would travel or how big of a difference he would make improving health care thousands of miles away.

What was planned as a one-year sabbatical in Africa turned into something much more. Dr. Sund was struck by the desperate need for  trained anesthesiologists and wanted to pass along his knowledge to the next generation of medical students there, so he stayed.

“The medical students all had a required anesthesia, critical care curriculum, and they had no one to lead that, no one to teach them,” he said. “Immediately there was just this ocean of learners that I was surrounded by, and my family and I recognized that this was more than just a one year commitment."

The lack of anesthetists and proper training has led to alarmingly high mortality rates in Africa.

According to The Lancet, people receiving surgery in Africa face a mortality rate twice as high compared to the global average. For pediatric patients, it's 11 times higher, and for women undergoing cesarean sections, it's a staggering 50 times higher.

“It woke me up to the inequity in access to safe surgery and anesthesia that exists in different parts of the world. There is an injustice. That’s why we’re doing the work that we’re doing here,” Dr. Sund said.

More than a decade ago, Sund moved his family to Africa, committing to long-term service. He now serves as the head of anesthesia at AIC Kijabe Hospital in Kenya, where he teaches anesthesia, consults on complex cases, and mentors the next generation of African anesthesiologists.

Recently, Dr. Sund's dedication was recognized with the prestigious Gerson L’Chaim Prize for Outstanding Christian Medical Service, a $500,000 award that will enable him and his team to expand their work, upgrade equipment, and enhance the anesthesia residency program.

Sund credits his success to the rigorous training he received at VMMC.

The Virginia Mason Medical Center Anesthesiology Residency Program is recognized for innovation and expertise in regional anesthesia and pain medicine. The three year program has a class size of 27, and nine residents are accepted each year.

"I've really taken what I learned with me," he said. "Those are the same skills that I teach my anesthesia residents and anesthetists here in Africa today."

He remembers being drawn to the program's unique atmosphere, noting the joy and passion of the residents and faculty.

“We have an outstanding training program. It's a very caring and collaborative environment to learn your future career,” Ryan Pong, MD, Chief Academic Officer at Virginia Mason Franciscan Health said. “It's easy for faculty and our program leadership to get to know you as an individual and understand where you are in your learning continuum given our class size.”

Dr. Pong, who also completed his residency at VMMC, emphasized the unique learning opportunities presented by the hospital's diverse patient population.

"Our residents gain invaluable experience treating everything from routine sports injuries to complex, undiagnosed cases that have stumped other hospitals," he says. "It's this exposure to challenging cases that truly prepares them for the complexities of modern medicine."