– GPHC’s stellar doctor says as she walks down memory lane

FROM the midwives of ancient times to surgeons, women have always had a key role to play in the advancement of medicine.

While there are more men in the profession, the history of women in medicine is long and wide, and in Guyana, there are several young women who are not only occupying leadership roles but are paving the way for greater inclusivity of women in the wide ranging field of medical science.

One such young woman is Dr. Andrea Kissoon, head resident at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

Dr. Kissoon, who hails from Sister’s Village, West Bank of Demerara, is one of six members of Guyana’s first all-female surgical team.

She began her career in medicine as a pediatrician at GPHC after completing her medical studies at the University of Guyana in 2013.

“When I did my internship, pediatrics was one of my first goals; that was my first rotation and it seemed like the right fit because I enjoyed working with the kids. However, after being exposed to general surgery as an intern…I fell in love with the surgical field and I started working in the Department of Pediatric Surgery,” Kissoon shared in a recent interview with Guyana Chronicle.

Wanting to expand her expertise, Dr. Kissoon registered for the surgical programme at GPHC. However, her new journey had begun at a time when the world of medicine was plunged into a state of uncertainty with the advent of the pervasive Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

“It has been quite a journey because I started the programme at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, so the benefits and exposure were limited at that time. However, that rapidly grew and I have to say within the department we managed to overcome the obstacles during the pandemic and managed to get back on track.”
At the time, the world was at a standstill and many civilians and healthcare workers alike contracted the virus and unfortunately died.

Dr. Kissoon and many other health professionals stood on the frontline of it all.

Despite the challenges, she continued her journey and is now in her third year of the residency programme.

Reflecting on her childhood, Kissoon noted that growing up in a small rural community, there were not many role models to look up to. There was a time, she said, when many preferred the simpler country life.

“Growing up there and spending most of my childhood and adolescence there, we didn’t have anyone who did medicine and we haven’t had many who even came to the University of Guyana; now we have at least five persons, even within the programme who did medicine and almost everyone is going to university and getting an education and [becoming] entrepreneurs,” she reflected.

Further, she said: “It doesn’t matter where you are coming from; just look at me. I’m from Sister’s Village on the West Bank.”

Now a role model and an advocate, Dr. Kissoon, along with her colleagues are lobbying for more women, especially young women, from all parts of the country, to consider the sciences.

“In the field of medicine and especially so in surgery, its rapidly changing and Guyana is moving and within the last decade…I mean I have been at GPHC almost a decade now as an employee and you have seen the advancements and we have seen how much we have been doing … we can match the Caribbean and even a first world country,” she said, further referencing the country’s first all-female surgical team.

“I don’t think we would have ever thought at one point in our lifetime that we would be a part of a team that is all female. Being a student, being an intern, we would have been surrounded by many personalities, most of which are males, who would have been great role models, but it’s quite historical that we can sit here and actually explain why it’s an experience to be a part of an all-female team.”
She said the team represents the future for all Guyanese women, from those on the coastland to those stretching across the vast savannahs.

Women like Dr. Kissoon continue to make significant contributions to medicine in a variety of areas thus leading the way in improving healthcare outcomes for all citizens.

Despite many challenges, women in medicine continue to be trailblazers and role models for future generations. Their contributions have helped to improve healthcare and have inspired countless others to pursue careers in medicine.

As the work towards a more equitable and just society continues, it is important to recognise and celebrate the achievements of women in medicine and to support their ongoing efforts to improve the healthcare sector.