Brett Rozeboom ’16 of Sioux Center, Iowa, completed a medical internship in Cameroon with the Luke Society the summer after his sophomore year at Central.
by Rachel Bing
Brett Rozeboom ’16 was as well prepared as he could be for his six-week medical internship in Cameroon. A biology major from Sioux Center, Iowa, Rozeboom spent nine months planning the trip with the Luke Society of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. This organization provides support to indigenous Christian medical directors in more than 30 countries around the world.
In Cameroon, Rozeboom’s lengthy groundwork allowed him to participate in many different types of medical service. He joined doctors and nurses on their rounds, helped treat tropical diseases and even traveled to remote villages to perform his own consultations. At the end of the internship, however, Rozeboom said his preparation for the trip had begun much earlier than he started planning. “Before I came to Central, I had a fairly close-minded, ethnocentric attitude about other cultures,” Rozeboom said. “But Central has prepared me well by providing me with opportunities to engage in an environment of diverse interests, people and curriculum.”
“Americans have insurance and thus receive some of the best health care treatment in the world… In Cameroon, insurance is basically for the very wealthy in the largest cities.” – Brett Rozeboom ’16
Throughout his internship, Rozeboom said he learned to adjust to Cameroonians’ different expectations and customs in everyday situations—especially their slower pace of activity. However, the most upsetting difference for Rozeboom was Cameroon’s widespread lack of access to healthcare. “Medically, Americans have insurance and thus receive some of the best health care treatment in the world—and not all of the money is required at the time of procedure,” Rozeboom said. “In Cameroon, insurance is basically for the very wealthy in the largest cities, and money is required upfront for treatment—which can obviously delay treatment and threaten survival for some patients.”
Looking back, Rozeboom said his internship encouraged him that he can use his skills to help others. “This whole experience really confirmed my desire to have a career in medicine,” Rozeboom said, adding that the experience helped broaden his perspective even further. “Much of what we experience in our everyday lives is so minuscule compared to the vast experiences, opportunities, and diversity found throughout the rest of the world.”
