Dr. Anne White

I’m a newborn ICU doctor and enjoy taking care of newborns and their families. I am from Ohio and completed my medical training there prior to my recent move to the University of Minnesota. I am excited to be here! 

My research is aimed at decreasing neonatal infections in low-resource settings. I have more than a decade of experience in global health and work with partners in Kenya and Malawi to develop strategies to reduce neonatal infections.

Written by: Dr. Lucy Amaniyo

Words cannot fully describe the joy we felt when we received the news that we had been selected for the highly competitive opportunity to do our elective placement at the University of Minnesota in the summer of 2019. We left Uganda full of hopes and dreams, knowing that we were about to embark on a journey that would change our lives forever. Our expectations were exceeded beyond our imagination, and we returned to Uganda, ready to start our third and final year of residency at Makerere University. Victor’s passion for pediatric cardiology was refreshed and I returned full of dreams of becoming Uganda’s first geneticist and setting up the first newborn screening program in the country. 

Upon our return, we initially experienced a sort of cultural shock. After rotating in a high resource medical setting for the past few months, it was humbling to return to a low resource setting where improvisation was the norm. We were disheartened to see conditions that were easily managed in Minnesota killing children on our Ugandan wards. It took us some time to re-adjust, but after doing so, we delved into the first semester with enthusiasm and gusto, knowing our journey to become pediatricians was nearing the end. We carried out research, wrote dissertations, did clinical work, taught undergraduate students, provided clinical care for both in- and out-patients, participated in tutorials, journal clubs and mini-rounds, and sat for our final semester exams in December 2019, before breaking off briefly for the holidays. We returned in January, 2020, anxious to successfully conclude a three-year course in the next 3 months. By this time, we had already heard about a new virus that started in Wuhan, China but thought “China is so far away, let us pray for them to get through this successfully”. Little did we know that in less than 2 months, Uganda would confirm its first COVID-19 case, leading to the President declaring a full lockdown. The months that followed were filled with confusion, anxiety and lots of uncertainty. No one could predict what was going to happen, and when or if we could ever get a chance to complete our residency. After months of uncertainty, the Department of Pediatrics decided that we would have online tutorials and presentations. These kept us busy for some time as we waited to hear about our final examination schedule. 

The impact of COVID-19 on our personal, economic and professional lives has been profound. Victor, a Tanzanian National, has had to incur extra expenses to stay in Uganda while I have had to continue providing clinical care under highly risky circumstances. Our mental health has deteriorated, with thoughts revolving around what would happen to us and/or our loved ones if we got infected, and how further closure of the university would continue to affect us and Victor being separated from his family for longer than he had anticipated. The complete lockdown meant that he could not travel, and has not seen them since this year began. We were meant to have completed our residency in May 2020, and we were expected to report back to our duty stations by August 2020, when our respective ‘study leave’ periods would expire. Most of our classmates have already received notifications about the expiration of their study leave. In addition, we were in the process of identifying further opportunities to advance our careers by doing fellowships in cardiology (Victor) and Neonatology/Genetics (Lucy). All these have been put on hold due to COVID-19 and we are not sure when, or if these will be possible. There has also been uncertainty concerning our final exams, with certain course units being rescheduled due to the risks involved. Furthermore, if not for COVID-19, we would have been employed as pediatricians and earning a salary. As it stands, we are still considered residents, a non-paying position. 

Thankfully, we have finally been able to do part of our final examinations, which started on August 10th, following the opening of the College of Health Sciences. We have managed to do 4 out of 7 examinations, and are still waiting to complete the remaining 3. We are currently waiting for communication on when these will be done. Makerere University usually holds its graduation ceremony in January, but the possibility of this happening next year is quite slim.

Despite all the challenges that have come with the COVID-19 pandemic, we are grateful to be alive, and are looking forward to the future with hope. We hope that our dreams of becoming a pediatric cardiologist (Victor) and Uganda’s first geneticist and pioneer of newborn screening (Lucy) will be realized by God’s grace.

Favorite quote: “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” Mahatma Gandhi

Favorite travel destination:  Antigua, Guatemala 

What the world needs more of: Free, accessible, high-quality health care. Also time spent with community eating s’mores over a campfire. 

If you weren't a physician you would be: Teacher + cross country coach + summer camp director