If you were dropped on a lonely island and could only bring.....

Packing is an art form. Over the years of traveling and after my 16 year stint as a US NAVY dependent I have learned that you do KNOCK personal packing techniques. For example,  When I moved to my new home last June to start my internship I did not contribute opinions on how the moving truck should be packed. If I had I would have incited great family tension.  My Dad (who did a 40 year evolution of  US Navy dependent, US NAVY  medical student, US NAVY flight surgeon,  now full time robber baron radiologist (his own affectionate term)) has a method that has been tested on multiple continents. Frequent civilian travelers for work are just as savy and passionate:   I once went to a global health meeting where for 15 mins at the coffee break we debated the ROLL vs. FOLD packing techniques. I am a roller.  I can pack my entire summer wardrobe in a 2 x 2 x 1 ft square with the best of them. I have my standard passport medical license, visa, Euros, US Dollars and misc currency (currently: Romanian Lei, Kenyan Shillings, a few Rubles and a few Pounds) in my easily concealed belt.

Not to mention I also have mastered the art of travel on wheels with extra inflatable tires, duct tape, a 30 second chair to folded carry-on breakdown time and most importantly the determined look/speech that crosses cultures and translates universally  "YOU WILL GATE CHECK MY WHEELCHAIR...and I WILL HAVE IT ON THE TARMAC when I arrive. AND YOU WILL NOT PUSH ME TO MY CONNECTING FLIGHT! I WILL PUSH MYSELF" 

Packing for global health is an entirely a different matter and I am still a novice...an intern if you will. There is the standard stethoscope, head lamp/flash light ophthalmoscope/otoscope kit. But the hardest part is BOOKS.  I have limited internet access.  Gone is the crutch of up to date, pubmed or even google or Wikipedia to guide me in my medical decision making.  This is even more distressing because there is no snarky, sleepy fellow to wake up at 3 AM when my patient is crashing. In fact the closest pediatric fellow would be Egypt vs. South Africa a 1000ish miles in either direction. MOREOVER THERE WILL NOT BE A SENIOR resident to defer to because I AM BEING PROMOTED to SR RESIDENT for the pediatric/nursery team while I am in Kenya.  So naturally I want to bring my entire library with me.  I am also bemoaning the fact that my Nelson's Pediatrics weighs more than the allotted weight for carry on baggage and thus won't be coming.  So after a full month of pondering and much weeping and gnashing of teeth I have completed the task of deciding what to bring:

Tools:  Stereoscope, My Dad's cira 1982 ophto/otoscope,  trauma shears, a portable pulse Ox, head lamp
BOOKS:
-HARRIET LANE complete with lovely formulary for pediatric dosing
-Oxford's Tropical Medicine Handbook (thanks to Dr. B from the ED
-Lange Neonatology because much of what I will do will be NICU/Delivery Room resuscitations
-THE POCKET-God's gift to Pediatric Residency Handbooks, enough said.
Not pictured: Sanford's Guide for antibiotic coverage

It seems so grossly inadequate in boosting my intern to SR minus FELLOW or consultants status but its to Kenya or bust.