From Nepal to Togo: Doctors Prepare for Remote Mission Hospitals

In this episode of On the Ground with Samaritan’s Purse, Kristy Graham dives deeper into the Post-Residency Program through World Medical Mission. This fully funded two-year program is for Christian physicians who have been called to a career in medical missions.

This August, 16 doctors from around the country traveled to Samaritan’s Purse headquarters in Boone, NC, for orientation. Between sessions, Kristy had the opportunity to learn the stories of these doctors who are willing to go anywhere in the world to serve in Jesus’ Name.

The episode begins with an introduction to World Medical Mission, the medical arm of Samaritan’s Purse, by co-founder Dr. Richard Furman. He explains how the ministry began. In 1977, Dr. Furman, his brother Lowell, and Franklin Graham recognized the need for doctors to bring added capacity to worn out mission hospitals. They began by sending medical professionals on short-term trips to assist the full-time teams. Then in 2004, the Post-Residency Program was established to train and prepare new doctors for a life on the mission field.

“It’s always good to look back and see the Lord’s hand in what’s been done. We realize He’s used World Medical Mission to replace these retiring positions that leave the hospitals needing career doctors,” Dr. Furman explains.

One of those career doctors, Dr. Daniel Shields with his wife Melissa, are planning to go to Nepal and practice family medicine. Dr. Shields felt God call him to both medicine and missionary work at a young age. Through their conversation, he explained the importance of being obedient to God’s guidance.

Kristy asks Dr. Furman about the selection and placement process for incoming Post-Resident physicians. During the selection process, Samaritan’s Purse will assess their calling, desire, and commitment to serve in the mission field. Then, he and his team evaluate the greatest needs across partner hospitals and clinics. The ministry gives each selected doctor two hospitals to pray over and consider. Ultimately, the Lord directs each doctor to where they should go.

“We talked with almost all of these post-residents and their families over the past week,” Kristy said. “I was overwhelmed with their servants’ hearts—how they want to serve the Lord with the gifts, talents, and abilities that they’ve been given.”

Dr. Jared Criswell was raised overseas as a missionary kid. After studying in Oxford, he realized he also wanted a lifetime of servitude to help alleviate suffering around the world. In the coming year, he will be serving at Hopital Baptiste Biblique in Togo. As he and Kristy talked, his message was clear: surrender to God and He will do mighty works.

The last couple Kristy hears from is Dr. Travis and Kelsey Harris. They have raised their family to be “mission-minded,” and are now preparing to go to Kenya. God provided clarity that they were called to serve in the Post-Residency Program, and now they are excited to take the next step.

As Samaritan’s Purse continues to send post-resident doctors and their families to the field, we praise God for the work He is already doing. Please continue to pray for the post-residents who are already serving in the field, the newest cohort of doctors, and those who have continued their career in medical missions.