5 surgical interns...

We working harder and longer these days, as our deadline nears and still so much to do. I went to the famous "glass house" yesterday, to the Augustia science center, to get contacts for rural Kanada schools. It was interesting to see the science center and learn about what they teach the kids who come there. They are all about inspiring creativity and love of learning in their students, which is something lacking in the standard Indian education system (and I think many would admit, in the standard US public school system as well). I found the visit refreshing, but I was surprised they could show young children real jarred fetuses, and the live crab in a jar too small for it was a little sad. At any rate, I am looking forward to putting our project forward in rural schools, where the kids are most at risk for a gutka addiction, and likely know the least about it. I am a proponent of us having as much contact with rural schools as our time and printing budget allows, because I think we will have a large impact there.

Yesterday, the group met with Dr. Desari, the head of the Karnatika Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS). It was amazing to meet with him in and of itself--can you imagine telephoning the dean of a US medical school, and meeting him or her face to face half an hour later, just on the pretext that you want to see him, with no prior introduction? He set up another meeting that Marin and I went to this morning, with a head of a department, and now we have 5 surgical interns who will be coming with us to the Kanada schools. They will translate and help educate the students on oral cancer. I'm so excited that they have agreed to help us, because this will add credibility to our program, the students will learn well from the native Kanada speakers, and they may be inspired more by peers who have made it in the medical field than by "foreigners". I also hope that this contact will help us increase the sustainability of our project, a goal we always have foremost in our minds. I don't dare to hope too much, but we will introduce the students to Ravindra (whose NGO we are working with) and perhaps something will come of it. If nothing else, we have a valuable contact for future USC students who might work on this project. I also went to the nursing school yesterday, but so far they have not gotten back to me about getting their students involved.