Abby Stapleton

Member Bio

I am a senior pre-medical student at Calvin College who will be attending the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine after graduation. I started considering medical missions during my first year at Calvin, and I believe that God has been confirming that call ever since. I recently was able to spend 3 weeks in Malawi working in a rural community hospital with American surgeon Dr. Glenn Geelhoed. I learned far more about physical exam skills and "actual medicine" from the local nursing staff in Malawi than in my entire undergraduate education thus far, and was especially impressed with their creativity in solving problems and helping patients despite their limited resources. This was a good introduction into the types of situations I could work in as a missionary doctor, and I left Malawi even more convicted about how I want to spend my life after medical school.
Because I am an undergrad student with no family in the medical field and no close connections to career missionary doctors, I have found it difficult to connect with someone living out the career that I believe I have been called to follow. I hope to learn more about God's work around the world through medicine, to find new short-term opportunities while I continue my education, and ultimately that God will lead me a long-term opportunity after I finish.