One of the hardest journeys I have ever walked
Saw Ray Kaw, PA · Site Director, Rain Tree Clinic · PA Class of 2020 · Surgical PA Class of 2027
In 2006, Dr. Mitch crossed paths with Saw Ray Kaw, a young Karen man driven to help his people. Their mutual passion to provide healthcare to remote Karen areas became a calling that has now spanned more than two decades. As Rain Tree Clinic's Site Director, Ray Kaw is a role model of hope, courage, and determination in the midst of extremely difficult circumstances. A graduate of the PA program himself, he continues honing his medical skills as a Surgical PA student. This is his story, in his words.
My dream was very simple. Since I was a young boy, I have wanted to see people in this area have access to healthcare.
I was born and raised in a remote Karen area where healthcare was very limited. We saw children die from pneumonia, diarrhea, and malaria. Even adults died from common diseases that could have been treated, simply because the nearest clinic was so far away. Even when the road was good, it took about eight hours to walk to the nearest clinic.
When I became a young adult and began studying medicine, I talked with some Karen leaders about my vision of building a clinic in this area. But they told me that we could not afford it. I understood. There were already so many needs, including food, education, and other essentials.
Later, I continued studying medicine and working at the Jungle School of Medicine Kawthoolei. There, I met Dr. Mitch, who had a dream of training young people through advanced medical education at the Physician Associate (PA) level, something that had never been available in our Karen State.
He shared his dream with me, and I told him that if he wanted to train Karen young people in medicine, we needed a clinic. I suggested a practical place where students could receive their medical training while serving a community with a great need for healthcare. I initiated this idea not because it was my home, but because the need was so great. If young people were trained where healthcare was deeply needed, they would understand the needs of the people firsthand and develop both their skills and passion to serve.
The building time was never easy. Rain Tree Clinic was established in 2019. Year 4 and Year 5 PA students moved from the T-RAD Clinic to Rain Tree Clinic to complete their clinical practical hours. Everything was new. We carried sand and stones from the river to build the foundation. Students studied and built at the same time.
There were no doctors, surgeons, or instructors at the clinic. Students treated patients while studying and discussing cases with their instructors online. Nothing was fancy. Everything was very simple.
At the same time, our PA students were being trained both theoretically and practically to handle common cases found in remote areas. Over time, we saw many children receive treatment for diseases that had once taken their lives. This encouraged us to keep going. There are still basic healthcare needs we are working to meet, including providing vaccines for babies and children against common preventable diseases.
“Establishing a PA program in our country, especially in a remote area, was one of the hardest journeys I have ever walked.”
We had to build trust with Karen leaders and instructors because the PA profession was not common in our country. People knew about nurses and doctors, but not PAs. Even the doctors who became instructors did not know how to teach PAs or what the curriculum should look like. We did not know whether the time, place, and relationships we were building would be worth it. But we did not give up.
In 2021, after the coup in Myanmar, everything changed. Rain Tree Clinic had grown because surgeons and physicians began coming to teach our PA students in person. Because of the situation in the country, travel became limited, and the whole PA program was moved to Rain Tree Clinic. More patients from different areas came because they could no longer travel to hospitals in the cities. For many trauma patients from military attacks, Rain Tree Clinic became their home. We began handling more advanced diseases, while our PA students received higher-quality clinical training.
Over the years, leaders have seen how well our PA students are trained. We advanced our program to train Surgical PAs and Advanced PAs. Most importantly, our PA graduates have returned to confidently and skillfully serve their communities.
Every day until today has been full of God’s grace and mercy, and we are grateful for that.
Saw Ray Kaw, PA, Site Director, Rain Tree Clinic, Physician Associate Class of 2020 · Surgical PA Class of 2027