Dr Sally Getugi

My interest in critical care began almost 10 years ago, as a newly graduated doctor working in the ICU of a county referral hospital in Kenya. I found the ICU exciting and, at the same time, scary. I was fascinated by the complexity of the patients, but one thing kept bothering me: I didn’t really know what I was doing! After a few months, I applied for a Master’s degree in Anaesthesia.

My time in anaesthesia made me realise that I not only enjoyed anaesthesia, but that my love for critical care was growing. As a resident at Kenya’s national referral hospital, I was exposed to a wide range of critically ill patients, from neonates to obstetric patients and those recovering from open-heart surgery. My critical care rotations gave me the knowledge and experience to manage patients in the ICU, but I knew there was still more to learn.

This led me to pursue an MSc in Critical Care at the University of Edinburgh. The past two years have been an incredible learning experience, introducing me to new concepts, research, and advances across different areas of critical care.

I am deeply grateful to the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh for awarding me this scholarship and for the opportunities it will allow me to explore. I am currently involved in critical care education through the Critical Care Society of Kenya. I hope to use this knowledge to improve patient care and contribute meaningfully to critical care services and education in Kenya and the wider region.