Dr. Yaw Safo

YAW SAFO, M.D. - A Life Story

At Prempeh College, Aggrey house was my home. I completed O'level in '69 and A` level in '71 continuing on to The Ghana Medical School. Graduating in December '76, I completed the mandatory housemanship in January '78 and left for The United States in April the same year.

I completed a residency in Anesthesiology at Temple University in Philadelphia in '81 and a research fellowship in Neuroanesthesia which involved work at both Temple University and University of Pennsylvania.

In July '82, I was appointed Instructor in Anesthesiology at Temple University Medical School but after a month on the job, I accepted the position as assistant professor and the head of the Division of Neuroanesthesia in the department of Anesthesiology at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical School at Dallas.

After being on this job for two years the thrill of taking care of complex cases and scientific publications could not compensate for the urgent needs of the extended family back home. To fund these needs, I started a private practice and continued at the University on part time basis. In '86, I went full time private practice in Anesthesia. I am currently senior partner in a ten-physician group practice at Charlton Methodist Hospital in Dallas, Texas. The private practice decision has been very fulfilling. My three younger brothers that I helped bring over to the states, two have completed medical school and are doing their residencies, and the third is completing a PhD program in Molecular Genetics at Darthmouth College.

As I reach middle age, my attention is again on how to help the great uncovered talents that we have back home.I am starting a library in my little village at Ofinso in the Ashanti Region. With the experience I gain from this endeavor, I intend to help start libraries in as many little villages in Ghana as I possibly can. Please, wish me luck!