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As a physician who truly recognizes the impact of his calling, L. Earl Watts MD '57, associate professor in the Wake Forest University School of Medicine Section on Cardiology, is prepared to go the extra mile.
During his career, he has literally gone the distance for those in need. Medical mission trips carried him overseas to India in 1980 and to South Africa in 1998 with his brother Rueben Victor Watts.
"Having been to Africa and India, I feel that it is difficult to get enough exposure to know how you would fit in as a medical missionary," said Dr. Watts. "More training is needed to adjust to a new language and cultural nuances."
Inspired by his personal experience, Watts set out to provide opportunities for medical students and residents considering the higher calling of missionary work to gain extended exposure to new cultures under the guidance of seasoned medical missionaries in the field.
In March 2000, Watts and his wife, Jo Anne, a member of the School of Nursing Class of 1955, established the Wake Forest University Medical Mission Training Fund to help meet travel-related costs and organize training seminars for students and residents interested in medical missions.
He said, "Medical missionaries, with proper training and proper attitude, can make a difference in the world." |