Lessons from working overseas.

To spend time in a developing country may not appear an obvious choice in a UK-based anaesthetic career. However, dealing with challenging situations and meeting people who spend their working lives in this environment can be an unforgettable experience. Reliance on personal clinical skills and basic techniques teaches us an enormous amount about the ability within us as physicians. There are benefits to us as individuals, the country involved, the people, and also the NHS in the long term. This article gathers personal experiences that are representative of commonly expressed opinions.