volume 45 no. 1 spring 2014
TODAY’S
CHRISTIAN DOCTOR The Journal of the Christian Medical & Dental Associations
IN THIS ISSUE
Offering Hope in the Midst of Disaster Introducing CMDA Dental Residency [+], a new program to equip dentists
Exploring the status of global bioethics standards and training
Turning a tragic skiing accident into a new purpose for life
Don’t retire...RE-TIRE instead.
Continue to serve Him on the road ahead of you.
After you retire from practice, your ongoing involvement in CMDA is still essential to our ministry. We need your WISDOM, your INVOLVEMENT, your MENTORSHIP, your ADVICE and your INPUT.
We value your role so much that we’re lowering the cost of your membership, including Lifetime Membership.
“I haven’t retired, I’ve just changed jobs. Now I’m a pastor instead of a practicing physician. You too can change jobs and continue to serve the Lord as a member of CMDA. So don’t retire, but RE-TIRE and maintain good traction for the miles ahead.” — Carroll Stone, MD, 92 years old Re-tired CMDA Lifetime Member For more information about Retiree Membership, contact memberservices@cmda.org or call 888-230-2637.
Examining Our Inner Selves 3. If we have some “evil” in our lives and are not aware of it, we are not excused. 4. Since we are prone to sin in our lives, we need to maintain a “constant strict watch” over ourselves.
We become blinded by what we see in culture and the examples of others, and we then think that our attitudes and actions are innocent. Perhaps we think that our religious activities are all we need to do in order to please God. It is an interesting thought that when we see other’s faults, it may well be that we, ourselves, have the same faults. How fortunate we are if we have true friends who will tell us when they see faults and sin in our personal life.
Richard E. Johnson, MD
from the CMDA
Sin is deceitful and blinds us. The problem is not for lack of “light,” for we have the Word of God. The problem is that we do not shine it into our souls. The more a particular sinful pattern is in our lives, the more likely we “invent pleas and arguments to justify such practices.” Edwards continues the thought, “On the account of this deceitfulness of sin and because we have so much sin dwelling in our hearts, it is a difficult thing to pass a true judgment on our own ways and practices” (Hebrews 3:12-13; Proverbs 21:2; Proverbs 28:26).
president
It came out of nowhere. My friend had been found out. He had been having an inappropriate relationship with a minor. I was dumbfounded; how does this happen? There must be a mistake; this is not the man I thought I knew. “You have to understand the context,” he said. It is amazing how quickly we move into “defense” rather than grief! Have you ever heard someone say: “But you have to see it from my perspective” or “You would understand if you could see it in the context of where I am or what is going on for me”? In reality, your friend wants to tell you “the story” from the first person perspective. When we are the internal narrator, the story becomes a personal recollection of events and emotions. When we tell the story from the first person perspective, we become emotionally involved in the story, unreliable with a limited perspective. “Point of view,” “spin” or “narrative” is the most critical weapon in our storytelling arsenal. David writes, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23-24, KJV). I don’t believe David’s request was for God’s sake, but for his own understanding of who he is in the inner man. In 1733, Jonathan Edwards discussed this problem in Christian Cautions.1 He reminds us that: 1. God requires of us that we exercise the utmost watchfulness and diligence in His service (Deuteronomy 4:9; Deuteronomy 6:17; Ephesians 5:15). 2. Any sin in our lives dishonors God. Edwards states, “If those who call themselves Christians, thus walked in all the paths of virtue and holiness, it would tend more to the advancement of the kingdom of Christ in the world, the conviction of sinners, and the propagation of religion among unbelievers, than all the sermons in the world….”
My prayer for the CMDA membership, staff and friends is that we all seek to get true knowledge of ourselves. For reasons such as lack of time, isolation or a sense of needing to have it all together, many of us have not really known our “inner selves.” We need to use Scripture as a mirror to examine ourselves, to look at the life of Christ, listen to what God says to us and learn from the successes and mistakes of the personalities in Scripture. Bibliography 1 Edwards, Jonathan. Christian Cautions or The Necessity of Self-Examination. www.biblebb.com.
Are you looking for more daily encouragement to remain grounded in Scripture during your everyday life? Scan this tag with your mobile device or visit www.cmda.org/devotions to subscribe to CMDA’s Weekly Devotions. Christian Medical & Dental Associations www.cmda.org 3
contents Today’s Christian Doctor
I VOLUME 45, NO.1 I Spring 2014
The Christian Medical & Dental Associations®— Changing Hearts in Healthcare . . . since 1931.
5 Transformations
Ethics Education in 26 Mtheedical U.S. and Around
STORY 12 COVER Offering Hope in the
Midst of Disaster
by David Stevens, MD, MA (Ethics)
the World
by Shari Falkenheimer, MA (Bioethics), MD, MPH Exploring the status of global bioethics standards
Disaster relief work in the Philippines
rom Physical Pain to 30 FSpiritual Healing
21 CMDA Dental Residency [+]
Finding a new purpose after a tragic accident
by Jeff Amstutz, DDS, MBA Launching a new program to equip dentists
by John Van der Werff, DDS
34 Classifieds
REGIONAL MINISTRIES
Connecting you with other Christ-followers to help better motivate, equip, disciple and serve within your community
Western Region Michael J. McLaughlin, MDiv P.O. Box 2169 Clackamas, OR 97015-2169 Office: 503-522-1950 west@cmda.org
Northeast Region Scott Boyles, MDiv Midwest Region P.O. Box 7500 Allan J. Harmer, ThM Bristol, TN 37621 9595 Whitley Dr. Suite 200 Office: 423-844-1092 Indianapolis, IN 46240-1308 scott.boyles@cmda.org Office: 317-556-9040 cmdamw@cmda.org Southern Region William D. Gunnels, MDiv 106 Fern Dr. Covington, LA 70433 Office: 985-502-7490 south@cmda.org
Interested in getting involved? Contact your regional director today!
TODAY’S CHRISTIAN DOCTOR®
EDITOR Mandi Mooney EDITORIAL COMMITTEE Gregg Albers, MD John Crouch, MD Autumn Dawn Galbreath, MD Curtis E. Harris, MD, JD Van Haywood, DMD Rebecca Klint-Townsend, MD Robert D. Orr, MD Debby Read, RN VP FOR COMMUNICATIONS Margie Shealy AD SALES Margie Shealy 423-844-1000 DESIGN Ahaa! Design + Production PRINTING Pulp CMDA is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA). TODAY’S CHRISTIAN DOCTOR®, registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. ISSN 0009-546X, Spring 2014, Volume XLV, No. 1. Printed in the United States of America. Published four times each year by the Christian Medical & Dental Associations® at 2604 Highway 421, Bristol, TN 37620. Copyright© 2014, Christian Medical & Dental Associations®. All Rights Reserved. Distributed free to CMDA members. Non-doctors (US) are welcome to subscribe at a rate of $35 per year ($40 per year, international). Standard presort postage paid at Bristol, Tenn. Postmaster: Send address changes to: Christian Medical & Dental Associations, P.O. Box 7500, Bristol, TN 37621-7500. Undesignated Scripture references are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, Copyright© 1973, 1978, 1984, Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. Scripture references marked (KJV) are taken from the King James Version. Scripture references marked (MSG) are taken from The Message. Copyright© 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. Scripture references marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright© 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. Scripture references marked (NIV 2011) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright© 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Scripture references marked (NKJV) are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright© 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Other versions are noted in the text. For membership information, contact the Christian Medical & Dental Associations at: P.O. Box 7500, Bristol, TN 37621-7500; Telephone: 423-844-1000, or toll-free, 888-230-2637; Fax: 423-844-1005; Email: memberservices@cmda.org; Website: http://www.joincmda.org. If you are interested in submitting articles to be considered for publication, visit www.cmda.org/publications for submission guidelines and details. Articles and letters published represent the opinions of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy of the Christian Medical & Dental Associations. Acceptance of paid advertising from any source does not necessarily imply the endorsement of a particular program, product or service by CMDA. Any technical information, advice or instruction provided in this publication is for the benefit of our readers, without any guarantee with respect to results they may experience with regard to the same. Implementation of the same is the decision of the reader and at his or her own risk. CMDA cannot be responsible for any untoward results experienced as a result of following or attempting to follow said information, advice or instruction.
transformations
Trusting Jesus in Life’s Storms by Sarah Coors, MD Something really cool happened recently. One evening in church, my pastor spoke about Luke 8 where Jesus calms the storm. I took two points from the sermon that I hadn’t caught before. The first is that only God calms the seas. In the Old Testament and New Testament, it’s the only miracle attributed only to Yahweh. So when Jesus did this and the disciples asked, “Who is this?” they were referring to Old Testament references to Yahweh alone calming the seas. The second is that while Jesus was sleeping physically, He never slumbered or slept. Obedience or submission to Him requires us to trust Him. My “ship” and my “storms” are calm when I’m trusting Jesus. Additionally, I’ve been reading Francis Chan’s book Forgotten God and most recently read the part on inviting the Holy Spirit to be a part of our daily lives and use us in whatever we’re doing. So the next day, we were having a conference on leadership. All the upper level pediatrics and medicine/pediatrics residents were there, as well as two of our program directors. One is Jewish, two ladies are Muslims, many others are “religious” but not vocal and many more are not at all religious and prefer to avoid the topic altogether. In total, I think there were about 20 of us there. They had posted about 20 to 25 quotes up on the walls in the room about leadership. In light of the previous night's message, one caught my eye: “Anyone can hold the helm when the sea is calm” (Publilius Syrus). We were told to go stand by a quote that “spoke to us,” and then we went around the room and stated why everyone chose their quote. I was nervous, because I knew I couldn’t speak about what the quote meant to me and not reference Jesus or what I learned the previous night in church. So I gave a brief synopsis of the message, and how I am learning to trust Jesus to calm my storm and lead my ship through life’s storms. I was able to speak boldly about Jesus and proclaim what I believe. I have NEVER been able to do this in a work setting—so praise God! I felt it was a huge open door that the Holy Spirit gave me—through humanly arranged circumstances like an otherwise boring conference—but He allowed me to speak and several who are lost and dying without Him heard about Jesus. I don’t know where the Lord will take the words I spoke that day, but now I know that they’ve heard and they can choose. I pray that, in my remaining months here, He continues to use me to draw them to himself! Sarah Coors, MD, is a third year resident pediatric resident at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, Massachusetts. This summer, she will start a fellowship in neonatology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. She serves on the leadership team for CMDA’s National Resident Council. Get involved with CMDA’s National Resident Council to stay connected during your residency years. Scan this tag with your mobile device or visit www.cmda.org/nrc to learn more. Christian Medical & Dental Associations www.cmda.org 5
transformations
Greece Vision 2014 Imagine experiencing the breathtaking beauty of Greece while digging deeply into the richness of Scripture. You have the opportunity to experience what CMDA members have described as “the best trip I’ve ever taken” on the 2014 Greece Vision Tour. This will be a lifechanging journey, and we want to share it with you! Together, we will visit fascinating sites as we walk in the footsteps of the apostle Paul. Our guide is trained in archaeology, theology and history, and he will help us see
God’s word from the perspective of the ancient Greek culture to which Paul wrote. We would be delighted to have you join us! Space on this intimate tour is limited, so be sure to register soon. Together, we will have a wonderful time of fellowship, learning and spiritual growth. For additional information about the trip or to register online, please visit www. cmda.org/greece.
c Memoriam and Honorarium Gifts d Gifts received October through December 2013
For more information about honorarium and memoriam gifts, please contact stewardship@cmda.org.
6 Today’s Christian Doctor Spring 14
Your New Practice
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$1.8 Turnkey Viable Bed & Breakfast Contact: Dr. Cynthia Malkowski 425.681.8501 Located: South of Cannon Beach, OR
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Betty Ryckman, David and Jill Ryckman and Stewart and Denise Ryckman in memory of Ivy Lorch Gary and Donna Slowick in memory of Ivy Lorch Mildred and Albert Coots in memory of Edith Cockrell Cheryl and Owen Brown and Audrey Casey in memory of Ivy Lorch William Darden, Jr. in memory of Ivy Lorch June Isaf in memory of Ivy Lorch D. Joy Riley in memory of Lucile Cheshire Max Brady in memory of Edith Cockrell Katharine Ikeler in honor of Michael R. Ikeler Barbara Jibbs in memory of Ivy Lorch Ronnie and Kathy Hale in honor of William and Emma Lee Talley Highmark Health in honor of David Blandino PARC at Piedmont Residents Association in memory of Ivy Lorch Steve and Janie Jones in memory of Alice Brooks, Margaret Brabon, Charles and Sarah Crouse, Mildred Crouse, Dr. Dale Dunkenberger, Rene Frick, Ruth Hartman, Ezra and Irene Rainwater, J.T. Seamands and Bob and Janie Wiley Katherine Chon for Philippines Relief in honor of Bill and Laurie Bolthouse Staci Pessetti in honor of Dr. Bruce Steffes Shelby Gutenberger in honor of Marisa Lawrence Stephen W. Houseworth for PAACS in honor of Dr. Bruce Steffes Samuel J. Williams II in honor of Bruce and Mickey Steffes Dawn Vander Galien in honor of Dr. Saad Al-Khatib Noel Spurlock in honor of Pete Dawson Philip Mansour in honor of Dr. Alex McCulloch & Grace Family Dentistry Lenorah A. Wos in honor of Whiteriver Indian Health Services Glenda Kirkpatrick in memory of Robert D. Kirkpatrick
Time to Leave Healthcare?
transformations
CMDA Dawson Retreat Couples Retreat for Dentist and Spouse CMDA’s dental members and their spouses are invited to join Pete Dawson, DDS and an amazing group of speakers at the CMDA Dawson Retreat on October 29 – November 1, 2014 in Lake Tahoe, California. CMDA is partnering with the Dr. Dawson and Dawson Academy to put together this fun getaway for you and your spouse. “For many years, I’ve concentrated on sharing the clinical, technical and management concepts that are needed to build a successful practice. Through those years, I’ve met too many dentists who, in spite of dedication and hard work, fall short of having the fulfillment and contentment they’d like to have, especially in
Oxford Graduate School
regard to balancing their professional goals with a happy family life and a great marriage,” said Dr. Dawson. This retreat will be focusing on Christian values and biblical principles for everyday life, topics you certainly won’t hear about in dental seminars. The weekend will be the perfect opportunity for you to share and learn more about the Christian values that will make your life richer, your marriage happier and your family life more fulfilling. We won’t be talking about dentistry, but we will be talking about how to enjoy the life that a profession can provide. We will show how biblical principles can provide very real answers to any problem and can guide us through either the best of times or the worst of times. All the topics will have tremendous practical application, but there is no way to describe how this special retreat is going to impact your lives for the better. You’ll just have to experience it. Prepare for a weekend of fellowship, fun and fulfillment as we connect with each other and with God. To learn more about the retreat and to register, visit www.cmda.org/dawsonretreat.
Become a world
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Stress, conflicts, problems; they are present too frequently in our personal life, family life, and workplace. The doctoral program at Oxford Graduate School grounds the students in the fundamentals of conflict resolution and problem solving. The scholarly program inculcates a disciplined approach, enabling the student to use Christian beliefs to effect change locally and globally. The masters program uses Christian beliefs to train the student in Organizational Leadership or Family Life Education. Spending two weeks per year on campus allows the missionary, the dentist, or physician to prepare for a career change or continue current pursuits without interruption.
For more information visit
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Loren Humphrey, MD, PhD Member CMDA Chairman, Board of Regents Oxford Graduate School Christian Medical & Dental Associations www.cmda.org 7
transformations
Seeing the Hand of God in Cameroon by William J. Lawton, MD
T
he Hand of God was so evident in the incredible timing for the development of the Peritoneal Dialysis Program at Mbingo Baptist Hospital in Cameroon. In developing countries, the use of dialysis for renal replacement therapy in patients with kidney failure is generally very limited, if it’s even available at all. Because it’s so expensive and specialized, hemodialysis is rarely an option. However, peritoneal dialysis (PD) is suitable for patients in areas of limited resources with acute kidney failure, although supplies are expensive and programs are not in place. PD requires placing and removing a sterile, specially-prepared solution into the individual’s peritoneal cavity. The solution is added and removed through a tube (catheter) and does not require special machines or electricity. Even though the hospital did not request PD, Mbingo received supplies for two years through a grant from the Renal Research Institute in New York City. The supplies reached the port city of Douala around December 2012, and the Lord brought nephrologist CMDA Member Dr. Hayden Hemphill from Texarkana, Texas at that same time to teach two nurses the basics. However, the supplies were held up in customs and weren’t released at that time. Meanwhile, my wife Patsy and I attended our first Global Missions Health Conference in Louisville, Kentucky in November 2012. We had very limited time to visit any of the exhibitor booths, but Patsy was clearly led to visit one booth and met Dennis and Nancy Palmer from Mbingo Baptist
Hospital. Patsy found out that Mbingo was seeking both a nephrologist and a physical therapist, a need for both of our specialties and a “coincidence” we had not experienced before. After praying about it, we made plans to travel to Mbingo in May 2013 with Medical Education International. The first full day after we arrived in Mbingo, the PD supplies were finally released by customs in Douala after being impounded for six months! The two nurses Hayden had trained had been rehearsing the procedures weekly for the last six months and were quite knowledgeable! They told me they were beginning to lose hope, but were faithful. By the grace of God, I was able to work closely with these dedicated nurses on all aspects of preparing for the first patient needing PD. We reviewed the basics of PD theory and procedures, inventoried the supplies and developed pre-printed orders and flow sheets. We prayed regularly for the program and the patients that would come, and I was also able to have separate sessions with the physicians who would be in charge of PD. Two days after our departure and one day after the Mbingo surgeon skilled in PD catheter placement returned, the first patient with acute renal failure needing PD arrived at the hospital. The 5-year-old girl received PD for about 10 days until her own kidneys recovered. The dialysis went well and she survived—thanks be to God! Since then, the program has grown and 15 patients have received PD since May. One of the most recent cases of success was a young lady who came to Mbingo in a coma from the effects of malaria and renal failure. Her malaria was treated and PD was started despite her poor prognosis. Over the course of the next few days, her mental status improved and she woke up. She continued to need PD to support her kidneys for more than a week, but slowly her kidneys started to recover. After surviving an abdominal infection on top of everything else, she walked out of the hospital with normal kidneys.
Staff nurses assist one of the first children to undergo peritoneal dialysis at Mbingo Baptist Hospital. 8 Today’s Christian Doctor Spring 14
These cases are just two examples of how the staff members at Mbingo have seen God work through this program. With the gift of our electronic age and email, I have been able to provide consultation as needed. The incredible timing of God over a six-month period with a number of His people in place at the right time is such clear evidence of the orchestration of His Hand! The words from Mark 10:27 come to mind, “Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God’” (ESV). What a great God we serve, and how we thank Him and are humbled by His grace and provision.
transformations
Event Calendar International CMDE Conference April 28 – May 8, 2014 Greece www.cmda.org/cmde
Deer Valley Ranch Summer Conference June 21-28, 2014 Nathrop, Colorado www.cmda.org/meetings
Emerging Leaders in Dentistry Symposium June 13-15, 2014 Bristol, Tennessee www.cmda.org/dentalsymposium
ICMDA World Congress 2014 July 19-26, 2014 Rotterdam, The Netherlands www.cmda.org/meetings
Voice of Christian Doctors Media Training June 16-17, 2014 Bristol, Tennessee www.cmda.org/mediatraining
WIMD 2014 Annual Conference September 25-28, 2014 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania www.cmda.org/wimd
2014 National Convention • “Mending Your Nets” April 24-27, 2014 • Green Lake Conference Center • Green Lake, Wisconsin Fellowship with Christian healthcare professionals, learn about current health and social issues, network with exhibiting partners and renew your faith. Register today at www.cmda.org/nationalconvention.
PLENARY SPEAKERS Dr. Stuart and Jill Briscoe Dr. Stuart and Jill Briscoe have served in fulltime ministry since 1959. For 30 years, Stuart served as senior pastor of at Elmbrook Church in Wisconsin. Since 2000, Stuart and Jill have served as Elmbrook’s ministers-at-large, going where they are most needed to support under-resourced churches and missionaries.
John Wyatt, MD Dr. John Wyatt has more than 25 years of experience as an academic neonatologist at a major neonatal intensive care unit in London. He has a long-standing interest in contemporary ethical debates about advances in medical technology and the beginning of life, and has frequently engaged in debates about controversial issues in medical ethics.
Dr. Gary and Barb Rosberg Dr. Gary and Barb Rosberg are award-winning authors, popular radio hosts and marriage conference speakers. Through their unique program The Great Marriage Experience, the Rosbergs address current issues in marriages today and equip couples with the resources, events and tools they need to keep their marriages growing stronger.
WORSHIP LEADER
David Stevens, MD, MA (Ethics) Dr. David Stevens serves as CEO for CMDA. He previously served as a missionary doctor in Kenya helping to transform Tenwek Hospital into a premier mission healthcare facility. As a leading spokesman for Christian healthcare professionals in America, he has conducted hundreds of television, radio and print media interviews.
Brian Arner Brian has emerged as one of the finest voices in inspirational Christian music. Since beginning his full-time ministry 22 years ago, Brian has completed seven solo recordings which have been played across the country on numerous radio stations.
SATURDAY EVENING ENTERTAINMENT Matt Fore Matt Fore is a professional magician, sleight of hand artist and entertainer with more than 25 years of experience. Christian Medical & Dental Associations www.cmda.org 9
transformations
The CMDA Voice in Missions “I met an attendee who was the head mistress of a school. She and I instantly bonded. At one point we began talking about trials and she shared that her greatest trial was watching the gunmen while she was trapped inside Westgate Mall. It gave me the opportunity to share the Lord with her and give her a book of John. She later shared that she loved the book and was definitely going to finish reading it. We have been in contact since the trip. My prayers continue for her salvation.” —A participant on a MEI trip to Kenya
Seen
& Heard the CMDA voice
“The last patient we saw on the trip had been homebound for four years following a stroke, and could not leave his bedroom or go outdoors because his wife could not move him. We were able to provide them a wheelchair so that his wife could take him outside to enjoy the fresh air. I will never forget experiencing the joy of that man and his wife when he was finally able to leave his room for the first time in four years; it gave me a perfect mental picture of the joy we have when we meet Christ and are freed from our bondage of sin.” —A participant on a GHO trip to Moldova “For a multitude of reasons, the trip made real the notion that life is worship, and work is sacred. And it is our great privilege and gain to get to be a part of His kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.” —A participant on a MEI trip to the Caucasus “This trip was life changing for me. I was initially thrust into a culture shock I was not sure I was going to survive. It only took a few days for me to settle in and actually look forward to whatever surprise the day was going to bring. It was wonderful working with a group of people from the U.S. and Ethiopia that quickly merged and became a cohesive team. It was inspiring to see the zeal of the team members to share Christ with the people from Tuka.” —A participant on a GHO trip to Ethiopia
Website Directory Transformation
Equipping
Campus Ministries cmda.org/student Chapel & Prayer Ministries cmda.org/chapel Community Ministries cmda.org/ccm Dental Ministries cmda.org/dentist Medical Malpractice cmda.org/mmm Side By Side cmda.org/sidebyside Singles cmda.org/singles Specialty Sections cmda.org/specialtysections Women in Medicine & Dentistry cmda.org/wimd
Christian Doctor’s Digest cmda.org/cdd Conferences cmda.org/meetings Donations cmda.org/donate Human Trafficking cmda.org/trafficking Membership joincmda.org Placement cmda.org/placement Today’s Christian Doctor cmda.org/tcd Weekly Devotions cmda.org/devotions
Service
American Academy of Medical Ethics ethicalhealthcare.org Washington Office cmda.org/washington Freedom2Care freedom2care.org
Center for Medical Missions cmda.org/cmm Global Health Outreach cmda.org/gho Global Health Relief cmda.org/ghr Medical Education International cmda.org/mei Pan-African Academy of Christian Surgeons cmda.org/paacs Scholarships cmda.org/scholarships 10 Today’s Christian Doctor Spring 14
Voice
Social Media Blogs cmda.org/blogs Facebook facebook.com/cmdanational Twitter twitter.com/cmdanational YouTube youtube.com/cmdavideos
“The course of study gave me opportunities to speak of Jesus Christ as a servant/leader, to discuss the character development of leaders and to note the role of divine assistance in achieving major organizational goals. The fact that our team is a Christian ministry was noted publicly at key times. I also believe we were an encouragement to the Christian staff in the institutions at which we served. The official wrap-up meeting made it clear that each of the team members has made significant contributions to the ongoing development of healthcare education and services in Mongolia. It is desired that all of us would continue to make contributions within our fields of expertise to assist the rapid development that is taking place in this country.” —A participant on a MEI trip to Mongolia
Have you been
transformed? Are you
transforming others?
The CMDA Voice in Ministry “I am happy and proud to be a part of the CMDA and will always be here to humbly serve the Lord through the gifts He has blessed me with. I fully enjoyed the opportunity to go to El Salvador this past June and it was something I will never forget. Praying with patients is something that a lot of physicians don’t practice over here in the U.S. and forget the spiritual component of healthcare and a person’s healing.” —A CMDA member “Many thanks for all that CMDA does to represent all the Christian docs and ministries; we couldn’t do our job without you all frankly.” —A CMDA member “I think CMDA is awesome. For me, it helps me to create a balance between school and my faith. It is nice to see other students and faculty who are believers in Christ. It is also good to hear how they incorporate their faith in their professions.” —A CMDA student leader “I had the amazing opportunity to serve the people of Indonesia on a short-term dental mission. It was fantastic. It was very helpful in learning more about dentistry, but more so it helped me see God’s love in action. It was so much fun meeting fellow believers from the other side of the world, and very inspiring to see what God is doing in that nation.” —A CMDA dental student “CMDA serves as a constant reminder to us that we do what we do for the Glory of God. We have been blessed to pursue this profession in order to bring healing to those hurting and to spread a message of love to those who are in need of love.” —A CMDA medical student
We want to hear from you Send your transformation story, letter or photos to communications@cmda.org or to P.O. Box 7500, Bristol, TN 37621. Please include an email address for us to contact you.
We want to hear your story It can be a simple comment about a CMDA ministry; it can be an account of your experiences on a missions trip; it can be a profile of a member who has had a huge impact upon you; it can be photos from a campus meeting; it can be statistics showing how your trip served the needy; it can truly be anything— we want to see how your work is making a difference.
We want to hear your ideas Do you have a great idea for Today’s Christian Doctor? Send your ideas to communications@cmda.org.
Transformations one story at a time
showcasing the impact of CMDA
Christian Medical & Dental Associations www.cmda.org 11
cover story
Offering Hope in the Midst of Disaster by David Stevens, MD, MA (Ethics)
Scan this tag with your mobile device or visit www.youtube.com/CMDAvideos to watch a video of Global Health Relief’s work in the Philippines.
12 Today’s Christian Doctor Spring 14
W
e were wasting fuel as our turbo-propped Cebu Pacific plane circled and circled while waiting to land. The military traffic had priority, but after 15 minutes our plane, with more than half its seats empty, straightened out for its final approach. Few wanted to go to Tacloban, the largest city on the Philippine island of Leyte. While everyone who could was trying to get out, we were anxious to land. I glued my nose to the window as the ground approached. Road graders and bulldozers, previously airlifted in, had pushed mounds of debris to the side of the damaged runway on a peninsula that itself had been bulldozed by a 15-foot storm surge. The arrival terminal was missing every window and most of its high roof, victims of the vicious winds. Some of the concrete beams holding up the structure were badly damaged. As I came down the plane stairs, U.S. Marines were unloading bags of rice and other food from the gaping tail of a C-130, sweat running in streams off their bodies. A light rain took the high humidity to 100 percent and the temperature was about the same. Within a minute, my pores opened. I wouldn’t stop sweating until I got on a plane to leave more than two weeks later. At the door to the terminal stood two Salvation Army officers in crisp white shirts with shoulder epaulets.
They ushered us into vehicle with a van-like front and an enclosed truck-like back. After loading our luggage, we climbed in and sat on benches along the side as we wound our way through the debris piles during an hour-long trip into town. Words cannot adequately describe the destruction. Once majestic 100-foot coconut palms were either uprooted or snapped in two like twigs. As we got to the edge of town, most buildings as far as you could see had been leveled. The walls of countless concrete block buildings were blown down by either the 200 plus mile an hour winds or the power of the wall of water. Even buildings with reinforced concrete walls hadn’t been spared. There was a sickly sweet pungent odor of rotting bodies. Dump trucks parked on the side of the road were being filled with black body bags as we drove past. When Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) hit on November 8, 2013, it became one of the worst recorded storms in history, killing more than 10,000 people and leaving millions homeless. Looking at the devastation, it was hard to believe anyone survived. Workers would still be collecting bodies from the rubble when I left 18 days later. At the invitation of and in partnership with the Salvation Army, CMDA sent its first Global Health Relief team to help address the enormous health needs generated by the scope of the catastrophe. I was leading a small exploratory team made up of Steven Euler, a young former Air Force internist working at Christ Community Health in Memphis, Tennessee; N.T., a missionary family practice physician serving in Egypt; and my brother Paul, who served as our photographer/logistician. We planned to pave the way for other teams to come. As darkness shrouded the city without electricity, we arrived at a small Salvation Army Corp (church) just off the Pan Philippine highway in the north part of the Christian Medical & Dental Associations www.cmda.org 13
city not reached by the storm surge. It was headquarters for all their relief efforts, and it was crowded. We met Filipino staff members and disaster specialists from the Salvation Army’s international headquarters in London, while simultaneously reaching for our insect repellent to fight the clouds of mosquitoes carrying Dengue and Japanese Encephalitis. As we ate rice and vegetables under a tarpaulin and tried to talk over the noise of a small generator powering a few lights, I wondered where we would hang our mosquito nets and lay out our camping pads. There obviously was not enough room in the church building for the 30 people there, even before we arrived. After supper, we carried our luggage down and across the street a few houses to a damaged unit of a two-story triplex they had rented that day for the overflow. It had three rooms upstairs and a large room downstairs. The larger room had served as a
combination living, dining and cooking area in better days, but there wasn’t a stick of furniture in the house. As our flashlights shined in the door, the biggest roaches I have ever seen ran for their crevices. Their presence prompted a word of caution from one of the Filipino staffers, “Make sure your mosquito net is closed. These roaches like to bite sleeping people in their eyelids!” It was probably for the best that I didn’t realize that these roaches wouldn’t be our biggest problem. We did have “running” water. Well, kind of. A Filipino teenager was hired to bring buckets of water from the “well” in the small courtyard. It was about three feet down to the shallow water and only about eight feet away from the drainage ditch full of refuse flowing down the side of the road. I learned to take a very fast “shower” by candlelight with a dipper and bucket, all while making sure to keep my mouth shut because the water was swimming with amoeba. The four of us strung a cord to hold some of the mosquito nets up, stripped down to our shorts and packed ourselves into a small room, side by side. Thank God for Ambien or I wouldn’t have slept at all in the humid heat. Even with its sedative effects, your body woke you up throughout the night to drink water to replace what you were constantly sweating away. With little real rest, we got up as sun poured in through the broken window at 5:30 a.m. and soon headed to the other side of the island to the smaller city of Baybay. In its daily health cluster meeting with health-focused relief organizations, the Ministry of Health asked us to help at the city’s district hospital. The 55-mile trip took us almost five hours; when we arrived, we found a Chinese hospital ship had pulled up to their port the day before and 40 doctors disembarked and usurped our assignment.
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So we traveled to the local corp and held an impromptu clinic at the church, seeing around 50 patients before darkness fell and we got our sleeping pads out for another restless night. There were a few acute injuries, but people were suffering from chronic diseases, including a large number with undiagnosed severe hypertension. Systolic blood pressures of over 200 were common in thin people with a high salt diet. In the morning, we headed back to Tacloban, stopping along the way to see if there were needs at a couple of hospitals. It soon became clear that most of the large relief groups, many sent by governments, had deployed along the main highway. We ultimately ended up back in the same house in Tacloban, and it became our base from which we traveled out to small villages far off the road to see patients. Almost no one was working in these needy areas where people had lost local transport to get to the towns for medical care. What transport was available had quadrupled in price and, even if they were able to get to town, local pharmacies were damaged and closed. We linked up with local midwives who got the word out and helped us set up clinics in rural health centers and schools among the rice paddies and shattered coconut groves. Our team was joined by two invaluable members: Pami Ellis, a missionary nurse raised in country and fluent in the local language; and Russ Villanueva, a young American-Filipino missionary doctor who was bilingual. Pami did triage getting vital signs and some history, while Russ ran the pharmacy explaining medicines, giving treatments and sharing the gospel. We were soon seeing around 60 to 100 patients a day. Every single one of our patients had lost something— most had lost their homes while others had lost their coconut trees which will take years to regrow. Their
“The first thing I noticed about her was her beautiful, infectious smile. Her tidy white hair and pretty yellow dress lent her an air of joy and graciousness. I never would have guessed that this sweet old lady had just lived through the worst storm in known history and lost every single earthly possession to her name. My mind was flabbergasted that in the face of so much loss and suffering, this woman had such a cheerful heart. Her illness was simple; a few body aches and uncontrolled hypertension from no access to her regular medications, but her cheerful heart was good medicine to my weary, sweaty and overwhelmed soul (Proverbs 17:22). As a former missionary kid and now missionary nurse with 21 years in the Philippines, I never cease to be convicted by the gratefulness and resiliency of the Filipino people. Yes, a short conversation with any of the survivors will bring about heartache and tears, as recovery will take decades, but I left Tacloban with a full heart and a healthy lesson to ‘give thanks in all circumstances’ (1 Thessalonians 5:18a).” — Pami Ellis, a missionary nurse serving in the Philippines
“Today in our clinic I had the opportunity to care for Maria, a 10-year-old girl with an abscessed tooth. She had been in pain for about a month. She lost her mother and father in the horrendous typhoon. Her aunt, whose home was destroyed and lost her two sons in the typhoon, has taken her in and they are living in another sister’s home. Maria was so thankful to have her tooth removed she gave me a kiss. What a tragic story for such a young life to experience. We prayed with her. There isn’t a family that I have met since I have been here that hasn’t been touched in such a horrific way. The Salvation Army has been wonderful in their grief counseling and spiritual ministry—they spent over an hour with this family alone.” — Sam Molind, DDS, from a blog post written while serving in the Philippines in December 2013
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“This trip meant obedience since I wasn’t planning on going. Just got a small nudge inside ‘to go’ when I first heard the news about the disaster. One day later, I got an email from a friend of mine that asked me if I could go—this to me was the confirmation I needed from God. I purchased the tickets and was on the plane within three days. It also meant that I would face many unknowns with little time to prepare. Some of which included the thought of many dead or dying people or still uncovering survivors from under the rubble that could have so many needs from polytrauma to PTSD, etc. Fortunately, many of these fears were not realized. Our team had an opportunity to give medical care to a number of patients from pediatrics to geriatrics. My hope is that through the care that people received they would know of Christ’s love and care for them and that follow-up with local Salvation Army and other churches would happen to share the True Cure and Hope.” — N.T., a missionary family practice physician serving in Egypt
“We drove to the town of Calipayan today which had no medical care before the storm except for an hour away. When I say no medical care, I mean not even a Tylenol or Advil tablet available. (When the storm hit), everyone in the community went to the school which survived the storm other than the loss of the roof on some buildings. Every home was destroyed there even though it was inland. I heard that two other groups are pulling out this week, so there will be very little aid help by next week. “As we drove through Tacloban, I kept seeing signs saying ‘TINDOG TACLOBAN!’ At first I thought this was some dude buying scrap, but then I found out it means ‘STAND UP TACLOBAN!’ As we went through the city, there were thousands of concrete houses with collapsed roofs, walls caved in, sometimes only a small piece of foundation left, or at times you would see the front of the house missing and then the back of the house buckled out and bowing from the force of the water hitting it. “Some of the locals said many were killed not only by drowning but by debris penetrating their bodies. I remember as a child someone bringing a 2X4 to school with a piece of pine straw penetrating through the piece of wood with such force that it did not even break the pine straw. We have to remember this massive typhoon was essentially a class 3-4 tornado. At the village where we have been, the people are smiling and the children are happy and playing. People ask them, ‘Why are you smiling?’ They say, ‘We’re alive and are thankful.’ “The sermon this morning was 3D: 1) Divine warning; 2) Divine promise; and 3) Divine dwelling. The people here have one room to cook, eat and sleep in. But they have the assurance of a Heavenly Mansion in the future and that keeps them going and happy despite the loss of everything.” — Tom Sanderson, MD, from blog posts written while serving in the Philippines in December 2013 16 Today’s Christian Doctor Spring 14
banana groves were flattened and much of their rice crop was gone. Yet, I was amazed at the resilience of most of the people. When I commiserated with their losses, the usual response was, “Yes, but no one in my family died.” Unfortunately, that wasn’t true for everyone. We saw a grief-stricken grandmother run bare breasted while wailing through the airport. She lost all six children and 20 grandchildren in the tidal wave. One patient still vividly sticks out in my mind. When he first arrived, he was trembling so horrifically that I assumed he suffered from Parkinson’s disease. But after completing a medical history and exam, it was obvious he was still shaking with fear two weeks after the typhoon. He couldn’t sleep. He could hardly eat. He lived in mortal fear of another storm. I gave him something to help him sleep as well as some counsel, but realized his need was much deeper than I could address through a translator. Russ pulled him aside in the pharmacy for more prayer and counseling as I turned to my next patient. I glanced up a while later as the man left the clinic, and he was no longer trembling and there was a smile on his face. Russ’ joy was reflected on his face as he related, “He accepted Christ. He is a new man.” The power of God is greater than any typhoon! Our partnership with the Salvation Army was Godordained. Their pastors prayed with patients, provided counsel, drove us to our clinic sites and helped handle all sorts of logistics. It freed us up to do what we do best. We gave talks explaining how to use the hygiene kits they were distributing in the communities. We participated in the World Health Organization’s ef-
forts to give Vitamin A as well as measles and polio vaccines to all children under the age of five. We immunized hundreds of children. As other CMDA teams sequentially arrived, we added dental services, something no other group was offering. As basic health services in the country began to come back online in mid-December, the Ministry of Health asked relief groups to wind down their efforts. Just after Christmas, the last Global Health Relief team left the country knowing the Salvation Army’s efforts to help the people on Leyte and other islands to rebuild their lives will continue for years. On my way out of the country, I met with national and international Salvation Army leaders in Manila. They are enthusiastic about a continued partnership jointly responding to disasters together around the world. Preplanning for a quicker response next time is already underway for CMDA to have someone on the ground as soon as possible to establish where we can have the greatest impact with our abundant resources of physicians, dentists, nurses, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals. Why? Because that is what Jesus would do. He met individuals at their point of catastrophe and ministered to them. As He told the story of the Good Samaritan, He taught us that our “neighbor” is not the
person living in the house next to ours but everyone in need. Though we are busy with our daily lives, we should inconvenience ourselves and respond when we see the need. Christ doesn’t pull any punches about being first responders. It is uncomfortable and risky. It costs everyone something. Our team missed Thanksgiving, while others missed Christmas with their families and friends. All of us lost significant weight in the sparse living conditions. Some endured bouts of diarrhea and vomiting. After we had been in our house for a week, we had an invasion of rats seeking food. One of our national
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staffers awoke with a rat biting him in the foot as he slept. After that, all of us slept with one eye open each night. We couldn’t get a decent rat trap in the country, so we endured until some arrived from the U.S. with the next team. Yes, it was rough, challenging, draining and dangerous. Going where Jesus would go and doing what Jesus would do almost always is. But I wish you could see people’s smiles and hear their heartfelt “thank you’s” just because we cared enough to come, to care, to treat, to pray and to be Christ’s hands and feet. And some patients found more than that. They found Christ as their personal Savior. God doesn’t waste tragedy. He redeems it and uses it to make Himself known. In a much bigger way, He did that for the entire world. So we go, as He did from the comforts of heaven, to people in desperate need to show them in a very practical way that God loves them. Maybe next time a disaster happens you would like to join us by praying, giving or going? There is nothing more fulfilling that seeing God work through you. All photos courtesy of Paul Stevens © 2013.
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About The Author
DAVID STEVENS, MD, MA (Ethics), serves as the Chief Executive Officer for CMDA. From 1981 to 1991, he served as a missionary doctor in Kenya helping to transform Tenwek Hospital into one of the premier mission healthcare facilities in the world. Subsequently, he served as the Director of World Medical Mission, the medical arm of Samaritan’s Purse. As a leading spokesman for Christian healthcare professionals, Dr. Stevens has conducted hundreds of television, radio and print media interviews. He holds degrees from Asbury University, is an AOA graduate University of Louisville School of Medicine and is board certified in family practice. Are you interested in getting involved with Global Health Relief? Visit www.cmda.org/ghr for more information.
MISSIONS
OUTREACHES
CMDA MINISTRIES LIST The core of CMDA’s ministry happens in local communities where healthcare professionals, residents and students live out the character of Christ. Our outreach ministries are dedicated to transforming the lives of healthcare professionals through evangelism and discipleship. Campus & Community Ministries A network of local graduate ministries and campus chapters providing opportunities for members to connect and live out the character of Christ in their practices, on their campuses and in their communities. ccm@cmda.org
Side By Side A network of more than 40 local chapters to encourage, support and minister to women in healthcare marriages through fellowship, Bible study and prayer. Each chapter meets the unique needs of its community. sidebyside@cmda.org
Specialty Sections A wide variety of specialty sections formed to equip, network and provide a voice for CMDA members to their areas of specialty or service. Organized by CMDA members who wish to connect with their colleagues. sections@cmda.org
Dental Ministries An outreach that encourages and supports dental professionals and students as they strive to integrate their Christian faith into all aspects of their lives, while providing opportunities for training and equipping. dental@cmda.org
Singles Commission A ministry connecting single Christian healthcare professionals on the local, regional and national levels, offering opportunities for networking with other Christian singles. singles@cmda.org
Women in Medicine and Dentistry A ministry that encourages and supports Christian women physicians and dentists in the unique challenges women face. A key resource for women in integrating their personal, professional and spiritual lives. wimd@cmda.org
A major component of CMDA’s ministry efforts is missions, and we are dedicated to both domestic and international missions. Through our various missions, we provide numerous opportunities for healthcare professionals to use their Godgiven skills to meet the needs of others around the world and share the gospel with them. Center for Medical Missions A program designed to serve domestic and international healthcare missionaries in their work, as well as aid in the recruitment, orientation and retention of career healthcare missionaries. cmm@cmda.org
Global Health Outreach A short-term missions program that sends 40 to 50 medical, dental and surgical teams around the world each year. GHO disciples participants, grows national churches, shares the gospel and provides care to the poor. gho@cmda.org
Medical Education International A short-term missions program that sends teams to teach in academic or clinical settings to bring transformation by advancing medical, dental, bioethical and educational knowledge while sharing the gospel. mei@cmda.org
Continuing Education for Missionaries An annual conference providing continuing education in a compact, multiple track model that enables healthcare professionals serving overseas to earn credit to assist in maintaining licensure in the U.S. cmde@cmda.org
Global Health Relief A short-term missions program focused on bringing health and hope to people affected by disasters around the world through medical, dental, spiritual and psychological care and support. ghr@cmda.org
Pan-African Academy of Christian Surgeons A commission that trains and disciples African surgeons to glorify God and provide excellent, compassionate care to those most in need. Training is offered at established evangelical mission hospitals in Africa. paacs@cmda.org
RESOURCES & SERVICES
CMDA’s wide variety of resources and services help us fulfill our mission to motivate, educate and equip Christian healthcare professionals and students. These resources and services give our members the knowledge and the tools they need to effectively serve the Lord. Chapel and Prayer Ministries A network of CMDA’s staff and members to pray for the ministry and our members. Also includes bi-weekly chapel services held at CMDA’s headquarters with recordings available. prayer@cmda.org
Life and Health Resources A distribution service for CMDA-produced and recommended resources through the CMDA Bookstore, including Just Add Water, Grace Prescriptions, Prescribe-A-Resource and many other valuable resources. bookstore@cmda.org
Placement Services A recruiting service that brings together Christian physicians, dentists, mid-level providers and practices throughout the U.S. to enhance their ministry and advance the kingdom of God. placement@cmda.org
Continuing Education We offer continuing medical and dental education courses as we are accredited by the ACCME to provide AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ and an Academy of General Dentistry Approved PACE Provider. ce@cmda.org
Marriage Enrichment Commission A ministry that provides four to six conferences per year that address the unique needs and stresses of healthcare marriages, offering couples the opportunity to nurture and grow in their marital relationships. meetings@cmda.org
Publications A wide variety of informational print and electronic resources published by CMDA to encourage, equip and motivate readers, including Christian Doctor’s Digest, Today’s Christian Doctor and many others. communications@cmda.org
Conferences A variety of more than 40 topical, local, regional and national conferences each year for training and networking including the CMDA National Convention, the Global Missions Health Conference and more. meetings@cmda.org
Medical Malpractice Ministry A program assisting healthcare professionals facing malpractice lawsuits with prayer, educational resources and encouragement from a commission of doctors who have faced malpractice suits themselves. mmm@cmda.org
Speaker’s Referral Bureau An online self-referral speaker’s bureau of CMDA members who can be contacted for local, regional or national events. These recommended speakers are available for a variety of topics and issues. communications@cmda.org
Ethics Hotline An on-call program to assist members facing difficult patient care decisions, provided by Christian physician ethicists who also formulate CMDA’s ethical position statements. Reach the hotline at 423-844-1000. communications@cmda.org
Member Services A department that assists CMDA members with information regarding the resources and services available through CMDA, as well as membership recruitment, renewals and retention. memberservices@cmda.org
Stewardship and Development An educational service that encourages CMDA members to be good stewards of the gifts given them by God, with resources to help protect their assets and provide for loved ones while building the kingdom. stewardship@cmda.org
VOICE
CMDA is dedicated to serving as a Christian voice, as well as offering valuable resources on today’s current healthcare topics to our members. Our voice outreaches speak for our members to the government, media, church and public on bioethical and public policy issues while also training Christians to be effective advocates themselves. Voice of Christian Doctor’s Media Training An individualized training workshop for members to learn how to prepare for media interviews and to give Christian perspectives on ethical questions and general health topics. communications@cmda.org Public Service Announcements A library of public service announcements on ethical and healthcare topics available to radio stations. communications@cmda.org
News Releases CMDA’s responses to breaking news on vital healthcare issues resulting in hundreds of media interviews each year. communications@cmda.org State Public Policy Campaigns Grassroots campaigns to promote lifehonoring legislation and referendums at the state level on physician-assisted suicide, embryonic stem cell research and other issues. communications@cmda.org
Washington Office A department of CMDA that serves as a liasion with Congress, the White House, federal agencies and non-governmental organizations in Washington, D.C. Also provides opportunities for federal employment, Congressional testimony and committee service. Includes the Freedom2Care coalition to advance conscience rights in healthcare and provide other legislative updates and tools. washington@cmda.org
Christian Medical & Dental Associations • P.O. Box 7500 • Bristol, TN 37621 • www.cmda.org
Photo courtesy of Christ Community Health Services
CMDA Dental Residency [+] by Jeff Amstutz, DDS, MBA In partnership with Christ Community Health Services in Memphis, Tennessee, CMDA is launching the CMDA Dental Residency [+] program. The first two residents will begin training in July 2014. “What has God equipped us to do that others either can’t do or aren’t doing?” That is the question I asked myself and the Dental Advisory Council as I stepped into the role of CMDA’s Vice President for Dental Ministries in 2012. It’s a question that we still continue to ask as we seek God’s will through prayer. Together, CMDA’s dental members are a diverse group of dental professionals and our experience spans the scope of dentistry: from a small solo practice to large group practices; from serving the wealthiest Americans to working amongst the poorest; and from short-term missions experience to a lifetime call to serve in the most remote areas of the world. We have dental faculty members including some of the top dental lectures in country, authors, military dentists, dentists involved in residency and advanced training programs and, of course, many dental students on campuses across the country. And God brought us all together to serve His purpos-
es. In dentistry, we likely differ as much as we agree, but it is in our shared desire to follow Jesus that we can find true unity. And because we are so diverse, our impact for God can be much greater and far reaching. What began as a question and a prayer—combined with a commitment to walk with God according to His desires as directed in Micah 6:8—led to the formation of the CMDA Dental Residency [+] program at Christ Community Health Services in Memphis, Tennessee. It is a program designed to motivate, educate and equip young dentists to live out God’s call among those in need—both in the U.S. and around the world. Unique in its focus, this three-year program will help prepare dentists to lead, disciple and train others.
The Need Throughout my career in the dental profession, we have made great advances in our understanding of oral Christian Medical & Dental Associations www.cmda.org 21
disease and its effect on overall health. We have also made vast developments in treatment and in the equipment and materials used to treat and prevent dental related disease. However, it has also become evident that there is a widening gap in the access to dental care in the U.S. and around the world. It generally only takes one short-term missions trip, regardless of your role on that trip, to understand the tremendous need for dental care around the world and the lack of access to that care. Along with the understanding of the need comes the realization that we can’t make a very sustainable impact on oral healthcare during these trips. We can certainly have a great impact on a few lives, but the greater need for long-term solutions continues after we leave. A noticeable discrepancy on the mission field is a lack of dentists serving in mission hospitals and other dental facilities around the world. Compared to our physician and nurse colleagues, the gap is huge. This is readily observable in our annual CMDE conferences designed to provide continuing education to healthcare missionaries. While the various medical streams are filled to the brim with hundreds of medical missionaries, the dental stream continues with relatively low numbers of 10 to 20 dental missionaries. As dentists, we have been great responders to short-term needs, but much slower to respond to serving long-term. The opportunities for dentistry to play a greater role in missions efforts are certainly available. The latest global burden of disease report shows that dental caries is the most prevalent disease in the world by far.1 The World Dental Federation goes so far as to say that “the world is experiencing a large and growing crisis in access to oral healthcare that, if left unchecked, risks an unmanageable explosion of oral disease, especially in developing countries.”2 With dental needs being so great and many mission efforts beginning to focus on non-traditional approaches to reach the least reached with the gospel, the question for us becomes, “Has God perhaps equipped us in CMDA to respond to these needs?”
From vision to reality During my time as a dentist serving at Bongolo Hospital in Gabon, we started building a dental clinic and accepted two Gabonese nurses into a three-year dental training program. Our goal in starting a training program was to train national dental technicians to meet the dental needs of the population of southern 22 Today’s Christian Doctor Spring 14
Gabon and also share Christ as they live out their faith in the clinic and in their communities. At the same time, Dr. David Thompson, a CMDA member and my mentor at Bongolo Hospital, was in the first years of the newly established Pan-African Academy of Christian Surgeons (PAACS), a surgical residency program for African physicians who would then continue to serve in Africa where the needs were great. Along with the surgical training was spiritual equipping to live a missional life for Christ as a Christian healthcare professional. Watching this program take shape planted the idea for a dental residency program for international dentists that might produce similar, more sustainable and reproducible results than the dental training program we created in Gabon. That idea continued to simmer over the next few years as my mission work took me to countries in Southeast Asia, Central Asia, Eastern Europe and many parts of Africa. I often had opportunities to meet with dentists, visit dental schools and clinics and talk about the needs and opportunities. Two years ago, my life took a drastic, unexpected change as my wife Carrie and I moved from Africa to Bristol, Tennessee to join CMDA. It was a great opportunity to refocus on dentistry and what God is doing through dental professionals committed to Him. And that’s when we started asking and praying for His direction as we asked this question: “What has God equipped us to do that others either can’t do or aren’t doing?”
Photo courtesy of Christ Community Health Services
The CMDA Dental Residency [+] Core Values At the CMDA Dental Residency [+] we believe that God has commissioned all of us to use our talents and skills to love and serve others. The values that we promote among our dentists are: • Christ-Centered | 1 Peter 4:11 In all things we make Jesus Christ the center and focus of what we do. It is through Him alone that we give our glory to God. • Faithfulness | Matthew 24:36-51 Being faithful in carrying out our responsibilities. We want to be faithful with the blessings we have been given by blessing others around us. • Unity | 1 Corinthians 1:10 Working together to effectively advance the mission of Christ Community. We have all been given unique talents and gifts that can be used to meet and minister to the needs of our patients. • Service | Mark 10:45 Committing to serve the needs of our patients, their families, our co-workers and all people we encounter. We are here to minister to them and show them the same compassion, grace and kindness God has shown us. • Excellence | Colossians 3:23 Striving for excellence in the care and services we provide. We desire to provide quality healthcare services to the underserved in the context of distinctively Christian service. • Courage | 2 Timothy 1:7 Training to provide care to the underserved domestically and internationally requires a courageous heart. We desire to equip individuals with the courage to face injustice in healthcare and our communities. • Joy | Philippians 4:4 In all things we desire to be a glad and joyful people who believe that the promises of God are true and trustworthy. We enjoy what we do and are glad to provide our service to others for the King. • Mentoring | 2 Timothy 2:2 Everything we have been given is a gift and should be transferred to those around us. We are committed to transferring our knowledge, skills and good news to those we train to follow after us.
During our first year in Bristol, a Dental Advisory Council member emailed with a request from a missionary dentist wanting to explore the possibility of a dental residency program in the country where he was serving. After conversations with other missionary dentists showed interest in the idea of a training program for national dentists, I began entertaining thoughts as to what such a program might look like and how CMDA might play a role. During a CMDA National Convention, Carrie and I shared dinner with Dr. John and Jan Crouch, the founders of In His Image, a family practice residency program that now has training programs in nations around the world. At the end of our time together, he asked, “Have you considered beginning a U.S.-based program to focus on training dentists who in turn may go and begin other programs?” I hadn’t given this serious consideration, and now I couldn’t get the idea out of my mind. And just like that, the vision for a U.S.-based program with an international component was born. So I invited other dentists to travel with me to visit a few dental residency programs. As I traveled and met with various clinics and dental directors, I would share a bit about a missional vision for training. One of the programs I visited was Christ Community Health Services in Memphis, Tennessee, a group of seven medical and three dental clinics serving those most in need in one of the least served areas in the country. As I met with CCHS’ co-founder and CEO Rick Donlon, MD, it was clear that God had prepared the way for us to work together. CCHS recently Christian Medical & Dental Associations www.cmda.org 23
began a family practice residency program, is expanding its dental facilities and already has a strong vision for what God might do through dental ministry. After much prayer and discussion, CMDA joined in partnership with CCHS to form the new dental residency program, with plans for me to relocate to Memphis for a two-year period to help launch the initiative. “We’re thrilled to serve as the the pilot site for CMDA’s new dental residency program,” said Dr. Donlon. “Under Dr. Amstutz’ leadership, CMDA and Christ Community will equip a new generation of dental leaders for fruitful service among the poor and around the world.”
The CMDA Dental Residency [+] The CMDA Dental Residency [+] trains and equips dentists to provide excellent dental care to the poor domestically and internationally in response to the call of Jesus to preach the gospel and heal the sick. This first of its kind Christian dental training program will focus on ensuring the residents excel in their clinical abilities, as well as focusing on encouraging them to become dentists who can train other dentists to train dentists. Combined with a call on the dentist’s life to share Christ among the underserved in difficult places, our graduates will
be prepared to spend their careers in this country and around the world, sharing Christ through their lives and helping to meet the tremendous dental needs in more sustainable ways by establishing similar programs and training and discipling others. This June, we will begin orientation for the first class of the CMDA Dental Residency [+] program. Thanks to a unique partnership, the first year will consist of the Lutheran Medical Center/University of Tennessee Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) residency year. During this year, residents will gain experience and develop competencies in dental implants along with the various dental specialties. They will spend half their clinic hours at the University of Tennessee and the other half in the CCHS dental clinics. In joining the CCHS community, residents will also move into the neighborhoods they will be serving. There will be ongoing mentoring, community development exposure and a spiritual curriculum of study in addition to the dental training. Throughout the program, there will be overlap and integration with the family medicine residency to increase the understanding of the impact of oral disease for the physicians and to provide hospital and clinical experience for the dentists. The following two years are the [+] one and [+] two years when the residents will be employed by CCHS and be eligible for the loan repayment program through the National Health Service Corps in addition to earnPhoto courtesy of Christ Community Health Services
24 Today’s Christian Doctor Spring 14
dency programs to be established in various locations around the world which will in turn see dentists, committed to Christ and at the top of their profession, begin to train and disciple others in their countries. The needs are great—but so too are the opportunities. Of this I am sure, as we continue to walk with God according to His word in this endeavor, He will continue to show us the next steps and bring along the people necessary to accomplish His purpose. Yes, we have our plans, but it is His purpose that will prevail. We don’t want it any other way. “What has God equipped us to do that others either can’t do or aren’t doing?” It’s the question that started us on this journey, and it’s a question that will continue to guide and direct as we seek God’s will for the future of the program. Are you willing to ask yourself this same question? Perhaps God has equipped you to join us in developing curriculum, teaching, providing clinical expertise or even supporting the program financially. Perhaps God is waiting for you to take the next step. For more information, please visit www.dentalresidency.org. Bibliography
ing a salary. While patient treatment will dominate these years, ongoing training will also include a month-long international rotation, continuing with the spiritual curriculum, mentoring, increasing understanding of clinic management principles, mentoring new residents and teaching/presentation responsibilities. This will take place in the context of living in under-resourced communities and involvement with church planting efforts in these same neighborhoods.
Looking to the future Much work remains to be done and our first residents will be key in helping set the bar for the program and also helping shape the CMDA Residency [+] for the future. I don’t pretend to know what God might choose to accomplish through this program. Perhaps He will choose to replicate the model here in the U.S. so that many more might find help in their pathway to service through dentistry. Perhaps He will allow dental resi-
1 Marcenes, W., et al. “Global Burden of Oral Conditions in 19902010: A Systematic Analysis.” Journal of Dental Research. 2013 Jul;92(7):592-7. doi: 10.1177/0022034513490168. Epub 2013 May 29. 2 “World Faces Rising Oral Health Care Crisis, Says Leading International Dental Organization.” -- HONG KONG, Aug. 30, 2012 /PRNewswire. PR Newsire, 30 Aug. 2012. Web. 20 Jan. 2014.
About The Author
JEFFREY D. AMSTUTZ, DDS, MBA, is a graduate of Case Western Reserve and its School of Dental Medicine. He also completed an MBA at Kent State University. In 1999, he and his wife Carrie were called to the mission field where they opened a dental clinic in Gabon, established a program to train Gabonese dental technicians and launched a mobile ministry to reach remote villages. They also served in Mali and Senegal. He joined CMDA in 2012 as the Vice President for Dental Ministries, Peter E. Dawson Chair of Dentistry. Christian Medical & Dental Associations www.cmda.org 25
Medical Ethics Education in the U.S. and Around the World by Shari Falkenheimer, MA (Bioethics), MD, MPH
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o you feel prepared to discuss bioethical issues in conversations with your colleagues? I don’t recall receiving any bioethics training in medical school. Indeed, I first heard the Hippocratic Oath at graduation and chose not to take it since I thought it would require me to swear an oath to the Greek gods! Later I felt woefully unprepared for end-of-life decisions in my internship. This led me to eventually seek formal education in bioethics.
as Down’s Syndrome, are increasingly judged unworthy of birth. The desire to enhance human capabilities and extend human life on earth through artificial means has led to articulation of a Transhumanist Manifesto1 and the desire to free human intelligence from the “limitations” of embodiment. The ability of humans to control a computer cursor through a direct brain-computer interface is a move in this direction as is the desire to find a way to be continually connected to the internet.
Education in bioethics is something all healthcare professionals need as the rapid development of new technologies in the last century poses new challenges and questions with respect to human research and patient care. The ability to transplant organs and the inadequacy of the supply to meet the demand required ways to decide who would get the limited number of solid organs available. The legalization of abortion in several countries challenged the value of human life in the womb and raised the new concept of “personhood” and who warranted it. Pressures to assist infertile couples changed the process of conception for many and often brought additional persons in the form of egg and sperm donors and/or surrogates into the process of birthing a child. The mapping of the human genome and advancing genetic techniques brought the hope of re-engineering defective genes and enabling parents to select the characteristics of their children. As a result, children are increasingly viewed as something to be designed, rather than gifts to be received and welcomed with gratitude. And those with genetic abnormalities, such
Films, television shows, video games and the media have long explored these issues. They are likely the most influential educators on bioethics both in the U.S. and internationally as they communicate values directly to the emotions, often without conscious evaluation of their validity. At times, thoughtful productions have educated people on important considerations and risks of this technology, but others have advocated their uncritical application and desensitized viewers to their downsides. For example, Intelligence, a new television series which premiered in January, revolves around a human with an implanted, super-computer memory chip keeping him continually connected to all parts of the information grid.2
26 Today’s Christian Doctor Spring 14
Why is bioethics education important? Many U.S. universities responded to the onslaught of bioethical issues late in the last century by establishing
courses and graduate degree programs in bioethics. Master’s and/or doctoral degrees in bioethics are offered in the United States, Canada, 3 Australia4 and New Zealand,5 Pakistan6 and the Netherlands.7 In the rest of the world, bioethics programs appear to be rare. However, many nations, including the U.S., integrate courses in bioethics into healthcare professional training and/or offer certificate, diploma and bachelor’s level training. For more than two millennia, the tenets of the Hippocratic Oath have been the foundation of Western medicine. The Oath is the basis for the trust relationship between the doctor and the patient. Before Hippocrates, a healer might help or kill a patient. Doctors who took the Oath swore to work only for their patients’ best interests and never to harm them. In it, the doctor forswears participation in abortion and euthanasia, even if requested. Since World War II, the foundational values of the Oath are increasingly being challenged and violated.8 CMDA CEO Dr. David Stevens believes, “Our cherished and proven bioethical principles are being eroded and discarded and we need, as Christian doctors, to stand in the gap and be voices of righteousness ... To do that, people need training and experience.” That’s where bioethics education comes in. Of course, as believers, we cannot take all that we read and are taught in bioethics programs at face value. Like the Bereans, we must examine them in light of scriptural teachings and principles, discarding those things that violate God’s Word. And Christian bioethics programs play an important role in helping us do that.
How is Christianity influencing bioethics education around the world? Christian organizations have been active in bioethics education nationally and internationally. The Roman Catholic Church has a long history of wellthought-through social doctrine9 and positions on issues related to human life. The most well-known are the writings of Pope John Paul II, such as Evangelium Vitae (The Gospel of Life). The Catholic Church also has many universities which teach on these positions. Its Georgetown University is one of the leaders in bioethics education in the United States with both its MA and PhD programs in the field. Until his recent death, its highly respected and
widely published physician and faculty member Dr. Edmund Pellegrino, who also taught in the bioethics program at Trinity International University (TIU), stood firmly for Hippocratic ethics. In 1993, CMDA leaders participated along with leaders of other Christian organizations and universities in a meeting called by Trinity Evangelical Divinity School professors Nigel Cameron and Harold O.J. Brown to discuss forming what became the Center for Bioethics & Human Dignity at TIU. It also led to the establishment of its master of arts in bioethics. TIU remains the first and only evangelical university in the U.S. to offer this degree. No protestant university offers a bioethics PhD, although some grant PhDs in philosophy or theology which could be completed with concentrations in bioethics. CMDA leaders, including CMDA’s CEO Dr. David Stevens and Ethics Committee Chair Dr. William Cheshire, were among the early graduates of the TIU master’s in bioethics program. In addition, to increase the availability of bioethics education to CMDA members, TIU partners with CMDA each year to offer a master’s level bioethics course at the CMDA National Convention. CMDA has also been a co-sponsor of the annual CBHD bioethics conference, which can be taken for master’s credit or CME. Two additional bioethics centers, the Center for Bioethics and Culture in California and the Tennessee Center for Bioethics and Culture, were started by graduates from the TIU program. Over the years, numerous CMDA physicians and at least one dentist have completed TIU’s master’s in bioethics, allowing them to effectively put their knowlChristian Medical & Dental Associations www.cmda.org 27
this knowledge to many other nations with the goal of increasing physicians’ practice of compassionate and spiritual care of patients.
edge into practice on clinical ethics committees and by teaching, speaking and writing on bioethical topics from a biblical perspective. CMDA members also teach bioethics at medical schools and universities such as Cedarville University, Loma Linda University, TIU and other secular universities. A few international colleagues have been part of the TIU residential master’s in bioethics, but recent initiatives are making biblically-based bioethics education more available to Christians internationally. In 2013, the TIU program became available almost completely online, which should greatly facilitate its accessibility to Christians worldwide. CBHD’s visiting scholar program of scholarships for international colleagues enables them to participate in its summer bioethics conference and courses, as well as to consult with bioethics leaders in the U.S. The Center has also co-taught master’s level bioethics courses in partnership with Emmanuel Hospital Association in India. EHA recently established the first bioethics center in its nation of 1.3 billion people, where female feticide, unethical medical practices and commodification of healthcare are on the rise. 10 The Centre is the result of a joint effort by 15 Christian organizations from throughout the country and is working to educate Christian healthcare professionals and ethicists to promote the sanctity of life and ethical healthcare practices in India. Another Christian bioethics teaching effort is the work of Partners in International Medical Education (PRIME) in the UK. PRIME brings Christian teaching teams to other nations and focuses on the teaching of whole-person medicine.11 It has developed an excellent teaching resource based on biblical values as well as an international network of teachers to bring 28 Today’s Christian Doctor Spring 14
U.S. CMDA members are also making valuable contributions to bioethics education internationally. CMDA Trustee Dr. Robert Orr of Loma Linda University is internationally recognized in bioethics and has taught in many countries. He believes, “Teaching bioethics internationally provides many opportunities to discuss issues that may be viewed differently in different cultures (e.g., autonomy, professionalism) and those that have a scriptural basis for uniformity (e.g., the sanctity of human life, compassion).” Many CMDA members have taken their training to other parts of the world through speaking at and participation in international conferences, meetings with Christian Medical Fellowships in other nations and through Medical Education International’s (MEI) teaching teams. MEI teams have taught on bioethical issues in places such as China, Egypt, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kosovo, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Serbia, the Ukraine and the United Arab Emirates. For three years, MEI furnished keynote speakers for the Jamaican CMDA’s bioethics conference. This conference also attracts non-Christian healthcare professionals who seek to fulfill their bioethics CME requirements. Dr. Doreen Brady West who invited the MEI speakers to Jamaica said, “These visits have increased the awareness of doctors and medical students to the Christian perspective on current contentious ethical issues, have served as outreach to the Buddhist doctors (their medical association officially approved the CMA ethics meetings) and definitely provided the impetus for [her] to begin studies towards a master’s degree in bioethics.” She hopes to use this training not only to teach medical students and residents but “to start a Caribbean Bioethics Coalition to provide advocacy and education on sanctity of life and defense of traditional family which are the pressure points of secularism in our region.” MEI educators have taught on a wide range of topics including: Hippocratic ethics, clinical medical and dental ethics, professionalism, ethical issues in science, the patient-physician relationship, healthcare delivery, human subject research, genetic screening, maternal-fetal medicine, reproduction and artificial reproductive technologies, human enhancement technologies, allocation of limited resources, mandatory vaccination, end-of-life and contrasts between Eastern and Western medical ethics. MEI educators have also taught on biblical principles related to and medical identification of victims of human trafficking and
on the benefits of using questions in teaching bioethics.12 As Dr. Orr’s comment alluded to above, in other nations, we often find quite different views on bioethical issues than in the U.S., even among believers. Dr. Christine Toevs, a trauma surgeon who spoke on informed consent in Mongolia commented, “There is a huge difference between Western and Eastern Medicine ... application of paternalism and how much we tell patients. I emphasized everyone is made in the image of God and each person has inherent value and needs to be included in discussions of procedures and what will happen to them. Although the audience was Christian, they had not thought about the application of Christian principles to talking with and informing their patients.” Bioethics can also open opportunities to discuss the underlying reasons we believe something is or is not ethical. An MEI team leader who has taught ethics in four Muslim nations learned that, “In all of [these] countries no one would turn off a respirator once it had been started ... in Egypt it was actually against the law ... It did make an opening where one could present ... JudeoChristian views without being confrontative.” Just last fall, an MEI team member gave a plenary session on Hippocratic ethics and its prohibition of participation in abortion at a conference for international students studying medicine in the Ukraine. Later in the conference, the speaker was approached by two students from Muslim countries for counsel on how to balance this knowledge with the risk of honor killing of an unmarried pregnant woman in their culture. MEI teaching in Jamaica and Serbia is helping them stand against the pressures of abortion and physician-assisted suicide. In another part of the world, the dean of a national medical school expressed a desire for bioethics education to help improve professionalism in the face of unacceptable on-duty behavior by medical personnel. Much more needs to be done to increase the depth and extent of bioethics education worldwide in this constantly changing field and to be sure the Christian and Hippocratic perspectives are heard and respected. But much has been and continues to be accomplished by Christian healthcare professionals in the U.S. and abroad to spread biblical principles of bioethics, preserve the Hippocratic ethos and model Christ and whole person medicine, whether teaching bioethics or living it out in the clinical care they provide. Bibliography 1 http://www.singularityweblog.com/a-transhumanist-manifesto; accessed December 19, 2013. 2 http://www.cbs.com/shows/intelligence/video/DF87B5F4-64C13C3B-0CC75E476D73390E/intelligence-prepare-to-upgrade/; accessed December 20, 2013.
3 http://www.gradschools.com/program-details/universit-de-montral/ programmes-de-biothique-bioethics-programmes-248240_1?pos=21; accessed January 4, 2014. 4 http://www.gradschools.com/program-details/university-of-sydney/ sydney-bioethics-program-247068_2?pos=12, http://www.gradschools. com/program-details/monash-university/bioethics-212048_2?pos=42, http://artsonline.monash.edu.au/bioethics/phd-in bioethics/; accessed January 4, 2014. 5 http://www.otago.ac.nz/bioethics/postgraduate/qualifications/index. html and http://www.gradschools.com/program-details/university-ofotago/bioethics-and-health-law-233351_1?pos=10; accessed January 4, 2014. 6 http://www.gradschools.com/program-details/aga-khan-university/ bioethics-250984_1?pos=22; accessed January 4, 2013. 7 http://www.gradschools.com/program-details/radboud-universiteitnijmegen/bioethics-234446_1?pos=39; accessed January 4, 2014. 8 Cameron, Nigel M. de S. New Medicine: Life and Death after Hippocrates. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1991.; May, William F. The Physician’s Covenant: Images of the Healer in Medical Ethics The Physician’s Covenant. Presbyterian Pub Corp, 2000. 9 http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/justpeace/ documents/ rc_pc_justpeace_doc_20060526_compendio-dotsoc_en.html; accessed December 20, 2013. 10 http://www.eha-health.org/services/thematic-services/researchbioethics.html; accessed January 4, 2013. 11 http://www.prime-international.org.uk/home.htm; accessed December 20, 2013. 12 Falkenheimer, Sharon A. Effective Engagement in Global Bioethics: The Benefits of Questions. Ethics & Medicine 28(1), Spring 2012, 19-33.
About The Author SHARI FALKENHEIMER, MA (BIOETHICS), MD, MPH, holds a BS in biology from Union College, an MD from State University of New York Upstate Medical College, a master’s in public health from Harvard School of Public Health, and an MA in bioethics from Trinity International University. She is board certified in aerospace medicine by the American Board of Preventive Medicine, a Fellow of the Aerospace Medical Association and an Academician in the International Academy of Aviation and Space Medicine. She has experience in teaching, applied research, clinical medicine, medical leadership and planning, and she has taught in more than 20 nations. She is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Preventive Medicine and Community Health at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, an Associate Fellow of the Center for Bioethics & Human Dignity at Trinity International University and a lifetime member of the Christian Medical & Dental Associations. Christian Medical & Dental Associations www.cmda.org 29
entistry has been my passion since 8th grade. I became a Christian in high school and, like many, I grew in faith through the mentoring and prayers of friends and pastors. I have always believed God smiled on my life, and He has led me in some incredible ways.
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I began my career as a dentist in 1982. At the same time, I married a Christian woman, and God later blessed us with two sons. I practiced as an associate dentist until 1985 when I purchased a practice in Redding, California. My wife and I led Bible studies, went on a short-term mission trip and helped start two churches. Even when we struggled financially, by trusting and believing Him, God provided for our needs. As Psalm 91 describes, God takes care of those He loves. My practice grew and life was good. I was living a life that did not have an exciting story, but in an instant, my story changed in a profound way. I would have a story to tell, and it involved trusting God in a way I could never have dreamed.
___________ “‘Because he loves me,’ says the Lord, ‘I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name’” (Psalm 91:14, NIV 2011).
There are some days in our lives—not many, but some days—which, when they have come to an end, will have changed us forever. This was one of those days. As I skied down that Northern California slope on that clear, cold morning, without warning, I caught an edge with my ski. Instantly, I found myself sliding backward down the mountainside. I tried to stop myself by kicking my boots into the snow. Nothing happened. Finally, after what seemed like minutes of sliding out of control, I stopped. But I was unable to move. A retired ski patrolman came up to me and asked if I was all right. I told him I felt fine, but I could not move. He called the ski patrol and, as we were waiting, he told me he would give me CPR if I needed it. I wondered to myself, why does he think I need CPR? In my mind, I assumed I would be taken to the ski lodge and simply drive home after a brief rest. But I assumed wrong. Soon after getting off the ski slope, I was on my way to a hospital by ambulance, then airlifted to a hospital in Redding. After x-rays and an MRI, it was determined that I had damaged my spinal cord. A halo was placed to stabilize
FROM
PHYSICAL PAIN TO SPIRITUAL HEALING by John Van der Werff, DDS 30 Today’s Christian Doctor Spring 14
my neck and surgery was planned to permanently stabilize the area. The next day, vertebrae C4-C6 were surgically fused together and a metal splint was placed to further support the fracture. I spent the next few days in ICU, drifting in and out of consciousness. I do not remember much other than knowing I could not move. After the physicians felt I was stable, I was transferred to a longterm care facility. It was there that I began to fully realize the extent of my injuries. I had become…a quadriplegic.
___________ “He will call on me, and I will answer him…” (Psalm 91:15a, NIV 2011). As I lay in the hospital, I realized I had lost my physical abilities, including the use of my hands. At first, it seemed like a bad dream. How could God allow such a tragedy to happen to me? He promised to take care of me. I asked God why He was not healing me. God’s only response was an unmistakable silence. I wondered, deep in my heart, if God was even there. I no longer felt His presence. I no longer sensed His favor. I no longer even sensed there was a God who cared. It reminded me of Job. God blessed him, then took away his wealth, his family and his health for no apparent reason. God did not talk to Job while he was suffering. Job would ask God “Why?” and there was silence. God has His reasons for doing things that we may not be able to understand. Within a couple weeks, I was in physical and occupational therapy five times a day. This kept me busy. But I wasn’t so busy that I stopped asking God, “Why?” From time to time, I would have my pity parties, leading to a season of deep depression. In the midst of my dark night, God said nothing at all.
Christian Medical & Dental Associations www.cmda.org 31
I met with a psychologist, asking him what I could do to deal with the depression, while avoiding taking medication. He told me, “Instead of asking ‘Why,’ perhaps you should consider asking ‘What can I do now?’ Consider what you have and take things one day at a time,” said the kind psychologist. So I started taking it one day at a time. And in the midst of what I considered to be His silence and inattentiveness and despite my doubts, God seamlessly took care of things at home. Friends brought dinner every night for my family. My wife, who was working part-time at a local Christian university, was offered a full-time position so that we would have health insurance and income. That same Christian university sent a ground crew over once a week to take care of our yard. Friends built a wheelchair ramp to our house without charging us, making our house more accessible for me. Although my family’s life was altered forever, it was apparent that we were surrounded by the support of so many in our Christian community. Even in the midst of going through the “valley of death,” God provided.
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“I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him” (Psalm 91:15b, NIV 2011). After two months in the hospital, I came home in a wheelchair. Although the accident took away many of my physical abilities, I remember thinking that I’m not as bad off as Job, for he lost his family and friends and I still have mine. So what next? How does one move on, when a lifelong dream and plan to practice dentistry was now impossible? I was too young to retire and I certainly did not want to sit around feeling sorry for myself. Deep inside, I felt I still had much to live for. I started to consider my options. If this was God’s purpose, what doors would He open? As I talked to friends and considered my gifts and experience, I determined to help people with jaw pain and temporomandibular disorders. Through another of God’s provisions, the California Department of Rehabilitation agreed to pay for part of my re-education and I was on my way. In January 2004, I started a new practice limited to orofacial pain. As time went on, I seemed to regain some sense of purpose for my life and achieve some form of “normalcy.” I still struggled to forgive God for what had happened on that distant ski slope. One day, I watched a video on the internet of Nick Vujicic. He was born without any arms or legs. And yet, I listened as he shared his personal story, telling others what God was doing in his life. I began to see more clearly how God could use my story as a way of encouraging others. There is more to my suffering than me…God had more in mind. Through tears, I was able to forgive God and thank Him for what He had allowed to happen. God was patient through my period of doubting, and He wept with me as I worked through my suffering. When you go through the “valley of death” in your own personal life, God will be patient with you. And He will weep with you as you work through your own suffering. The lies we tell ourselves—“There is no God” and “God doesn’t love me”—need to be substituted with His truth. Let God’s truth define your suffering. For God is present, loves us, takes care of us and has a purpose for what is happening—in every circumstance, in every trial, in every tribulation. As we forgive, we begin to heal and maybe even start to see what God has done for His purpose and glory.
Dr. John Van der Werff (right) with a friend during his stay in the hospital after his skiing accident. 32 Today’s Christian Doctor Spring 14
“I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in
Dr. John Van der Werff (left) with a friend before speaking at a men's breakfast group in California.
weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:7b-10, NIV 2011). And the silence of God? If you have experienced that silence, perhaps you have also come to a new appreciation for the silence Jesus felt when He was on the cross, asking why God had forsaken Him.
___________ “With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation” (Psalm 91:16, NIV 2011).
I continue to suffer with chronic pain and work just under 20 hours a week. I share my story with others so that they may be encouraged. I have come to embrace the truth that God may not completely heal me physically. (He didn’t heal Paul either.) But He has provided emotional and spiritual healing. If we allow Him, He does that for all of us, no matter what we have been through. Romans 8:18 reminds us that our current suffering represents a temporary circumstance when seen in the light of eternity. I have determined that my happiness is not dependent upon my physical wholeness. I find my greatest source of happiness in knowing where I am going and understanding God’s purpose for my life. If we trust and believe Him, we are loved by God, and He takes care of those He loves. As Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 12, God is all we need. God prepares all of us for our journeys through life. And we all have tests and challenges in our lives. So God puts people in our lives to teach and prepare us. By read-
ing Scripture over and over, He also implants His Word for us to draw upon in times of difficulty and silence. We may not control what happens to us, but we do have control over how we react. Even in the midst of His apparent quietness, God loves and takes care of us. Asking “why” questions and thinking about what you have lost will lead to despair. God can help us trade despair for peace. Although it is not always easy, focusing on today and the future, looking for a purpose, looking for God’s lessons, being thankful and anticipating His coming can help restore and maintain that sense of peace As happened to me on that day in 2003, circumstances can happen that can change our lives in a dramatic way. Choosing to respond by trusting God allows Him to use us for His purpose and His glory. As Psalm 91 promises, God takes care of those He loves. “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”
About The Author
JOHN VAN DER WERFF, DDS, received his degree from the University of California in San Francisco in 1982. He was in private general dental practice until 2003 when he had a spinal cord injury which eliminated his ability to provide general dentistry. In 2004, he opened a new parttime practice which is limited to orofacial/ craniofacial pain, temporomandibular disorders and dental sleep medicine. He is a distinguished fellow in the American Academy of Craniofacial Pain and a fellow in the American Academy of Orofacial Pain. He is also a diplomat of the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine and is a Master ship member of the Academy of General Dentistry. Dr. Van der Werff has given numerous presentations on many areas of dentistry and continues to share his testimony about what God has done in his life through his accident. You can contact Dr. Van der Werff at jv.dds@sbcglobal.net. Christian Medical & Dental Associations www.cmda.org 33
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Dentist Wanted – Part-time dentist for our busy family dental office in Dyer, Indiana, 30 minutes from downtown Chicago. Please send your résumé to dsdjb@comcast.net.Medical
Gastroenterologist – Well-established private GI practice, two physicians, recruiting 34 Today’s Christian Doctor Spring 14
for a third position in the beautiful mountains of Northeastern Pennsylvania. A 5-year-old endoscopy center with attached office building, completely owned by physicians of practice. 100 percent GI with emphasis on endoscopy, practicing a full range of GI and hepatology. Strong referral base of family physicians. Enjoy a four-day work week and rotating call schedule, allowing time to enjoy family and the beautiful surroundings that this area affords. Two to three hours to several large cities, including New York City. Excellent opportunity for someone interested in expressing your faith in a balanced blending of work, family and community. Contact: John T. Burns, MD, at jtburns33@aol.com. Ophthalmology - in Tucson, Arizona - Outstanding opportunity to join a solo practice well-positioned for a second ophthalmologist. Healthy surgical volume and loyal patient base. Employee with partnership option. Contact Robert Snyder, MD, PhD, at tucsoneyedoc@gmail.com. BE/BC Otolaryngologist – needed for well-established, busy two-man practice located in a Big 10 college town in Lafayette, Indiana. Excellent opportunity for fast track to full partnership. Our private practice includes: general ENT, head and neck, facial plastics and allergy. Onsite physician-owned ASC, CT scanner and voice lab with video stroboscopy staffed by speech language pathology personnel. The audiology department provides a full range of services staffed by AuD. Please contact Ruth at 765-477-7436. Send CV to 2320 Concord Road, Lafayette, IN 47909, or email lafayetteent@comcast.net.
Pain Clinician Wanted, Chicagoland, Private Practice - Join a 20-year-old internally known pain clinic in the beautiful suburb of Oak Park, Illinois just outside of Chicago. The clinic specializes in regenerative injection therapy (Prolotherapy). The clinic has an international referral base and is looking for an innovative physician that desires long-term ownership of practice. Go to www.caringmedical.com for information. Send resumes to Mandi Jones at jonesm@caringmedical.com or call 708-848-7789.
Pediatrics - Physician needed for a busy, Christ-centered private practice located in Parker, Colorado. Crown Point Pediatrics is a well-respected, 34-year-old practice that is looking for a BC/BE pediatrician to work a four-day week and cover on-call 25 percent of weekdays and weekends. Offering salary, family health insurance, liability insurance and profit sharing plan. Call Kelhe Hatfield at 303-695-7826 or email to droos@crownpointpediatrics.com. Psychiatrist – Georgia. Established practice (over 25 years, patient base of 1,000+) is available. Current psychiatrist is turning 65 this year and is looking for someone to come into the practice as they transition out. Practice does a fair amount of psychotherapy in addition to medication management. Most of the clients come from the conservative Christian community in Atlanta. The office is located in Roswell, Georgia and is fully staffed. Please fax if interested to 770998-1711 or email your letter of interest to thearkpsych@bellsouth.net.
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Dermatology – An independent dermatology practice in Kearney, Nebraska seeking a full-time or part-time dermatologist. Great potential for a busy practice in a wonderful family-centered community. Mission is not only to provide excellent dermatologic care but also minister to patient’s spiritual needs. Currently one fulltime dermatologist treating an average of 35 to 40 patients a day. Please contact Sharon Bond, MD, at 308-440-3945 or sbbderm@charter.net, or Lori Grubbs, office manager, at 308-865-2214.
To place a classified advertisement, contact communications@cmda.org.
CMDA PLACEMENT SERVICES
BRINGING TOGETHER HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS TO FURTHER GOD’S KINGDOM We exist to glorify God by placing healthcare professionals and assisting them in finding God’s will for their careers. Our goal is to place healthcare professionals in an environment that will encourage ministry and also be pleasing to God. We make connections across the U.S. for physicians, dentists, other providers and practices. We have an established network consisting of hundreds of opportunities in various specialties. You will benefit from our experience and guidance. Every placement carries its own set of challenges. We want to get to know you on a personal basis to help find the perfect fit for you and your practice. P.O. Box 7500 •Bristol, TN 37621 888-690-9054 www.cmda.org/placement placement@cmda.org
IT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE “It makes a big difference having a Christian organization searching for us. They understand and care about our needs and finding those with a shared mission and vision.” - Lydia Best, MD; Detroit, Michigan
AN ANSWER TO PRAYER “Placement Services helped me navigate a complicated process and advocated for me when I was too busy or naïve to do so by myself. I am excited to work at a clinic with providers who share my values.” - Marlana Li, MD
In His Image provided me with excellent medical training and also showed me how to use medicine as a ministry and see each patient as Christ does. Through the Spiritual Curriculum, Counseling Track, mentorship of exemplary faculty physicians and fellowship with like-minded residents, my heart continued to grow for those in need around me.
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My husband and I were encouraged and challenged to grow as a couple through weekly Bible Studies, conferences and retreats sponsored by IHI. We believe that IHI helped equip and spur us on toward a calling God placed on our hearts serving the underserved! I am currently working at a rural federally qualified health center in a diverse community, serving for God’s glory.