Since 2023, Dr. Rebecca (34) has been serving as a Doctor of International Health and Tropical Medicine at Mnero Hospital, a small facility in southern Tanzania. Located far from larger cities and regional hospitals, Mnero is deeply embedded in the local community. Rebecca provides direct patient care, while her partner oversees hospital management. Together, they form the fourth European couple to commit to a two-year placement at the hospital.

Rebecca and her colleagues deliver nearly every form of basic medical care—from maternity and pediatric services to emergency abdominal surgeries, amputations, and ectopic pregnancies. Around 70% of the care provided centers on maternal and child health and is offered free of charge to local residents. The hospital is privately run and receives little structural support from the government. Most of the funding comes from the German foundation SolMne and the Dutch foundation Stichting Mnero. The latter supports key infrastructure projects, including nurse training, equipment procurement, and facility maintenance.

In this resource-limited setting, there are no surgical specialists on staff. Referrals are often not an option due to cost and distance. That means Rebecca takes on a wide range of surgical procedures herself—supported by the Incision Academy, an online surgical learning platform, delivering accredited, multimedia education that supports perioperative team members.

“I use the Incision Academy primarily for abdominal surgeries,” she explains. “If I haven’t done a procedure in a while, I open the Academy to refresh my understanding of the surgical steps and anatomy. It makes a real difference in how confidently I start the operation.”

Practical, Trusted Support for a Wide Range of Procedures

Rebecca was already familiar with the Incision Academy during her training as an International Health and Tropical Medicine Doctor. During her Surgical residency, she used the platform to prepare for cases, exploring everything from instrumentation and surgical workflows to laparoscopic techniques and 3D anatomy models. Now, in her role at Mnero, she mostly relies on step-by-step procedure guidance and occasionally revisits anatomical content when needed.

She especially turns to the Incision Academy for abdominal procedures, bowel conditions, and high-risk cases.

“Sometimes I find myself thinking, ‘Wait, how do I go about this again?’ That’s when the Incision Academy provides the structure I need to feel fully prepared. It helps me act with confidence, even if I haven’t done the procedure in a while. It’s truly become my digital surgery bible.”

Rebecca now performs a wide variety of surgeries at Mnero Hospital—from C-sections and hernia repairs to appendectomies and ectopic pregnancy management. Specialist backup is limited, and she works with a small team of local general physicians.

“Recently, I had a patient with an acute bowel obstruction. I needed to perform colostomy surgery, something I hadn’t done in a while. I immediately opened the Incision Academy. Following the steps helped me perform the procedure correctly—and the patient did well.”

By managing surgical cases locally, patients receive care faster and closer to home, something that can be life-changing in this context. The nearest hospital is over 50 miles (80 kilometers) away, and during the rainy season, travel time can stretch to five hours due to poor road conditions. Post-operative recovery often depends on support from family, which is easier to arrange when care is local. By treating patients on-site, the team keeps care accessible and ensures better continuity of support.

Reliable and Readily Available

For Rebecca, the strength of the Incision Academy lies in its clarity, reliability, and practical design.

“There is a lot to find online or on YouTube, but it takes time, and surgical content is often poorly organized. With the Incision Academy, I know exactly where to look. The content is high-quality, and the platform is intuitive. It’s a reference I trust, and it’s always there when I need it.”

Bringing Knowledge to Where It’s Needed Most

For International Health and Tropical Medicine Doctors like Rebecca, providing care in remote environments without specialist backup, the Incision Academy offers the exact support they need: structure, trustworthiness, and peace of mind. It empowers her to deliver high-quality care, even in challenging situations. Or, as Rebecca puts it, “my digital surgery bible, always within reach.”

Curious how the Incision Academy can support your OR team?
Get in touch with Guido Danen via guido.d@incision.care or visit www.incision.care.