A Doctor of My Own

A Doctor of My Own, director by Trisha Pasricha as a Vanderbilt University medical study under supervision of her mentor Dr Quentin Eichbaum (a native of Namibia), explores the emerging stories of students at the newly-opened University of Namibia School of Medicine in Windhoek. Fresh out of organic chemistry, the students will trek to rural villages, training with patients who have never before met a doctor from their own country. The challenges are enormous–and so is the pressure. Some students will leave in the brain drain, never to return. Yet buried in the sea of endless patients and faced with unexpected responsibilities, a few may rise to find their calling. And if they do, medical education will revolutionize healthcare in Africa.

The documentary features interviews from key leaders in global health and medical education including: Dr. Julio Frenk (former Dean of Harvard School of Public Health), Dr. Quentin Eichbaum (Professor and Program Director, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine), and Dr. Philip Odonkor (former deputy dean, University of Namibia School of Medicine). Through interviews of students, allied health workers, and leaders in the field, the film captures first-hand accounts of the day-to-day battles of healthcare delivery and training new physicians in the country.