Surgical Skill in Service of Those Who Need It Most
Dr. Chou is an academic oral and maxillofacial surgeon at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, PA. She was initially drawn to the specialty due to the unique intersection of medicine, surgery, and dentistry. OMS offers Dr. Chou the opportunity to manage complex pathology, restore function, and improve quality of life for patients afflicted with maxillofacial conditions-often in a single operation.
She was particularly inspired by the specialty’s breadth: from reconstruction of congenital differences such as cleft lip and palate to dentoalveolar surgery to trauma, orthognathic reconstruction, pathology, and management of airway disorders.
Over the past 15 years, Dr. Chou has volunteered her time and expertise aboard Mercy Ships hospital vessels to bring surgical care to patients in Mexico, Guinea, Republic of Congo, Madagascar, Benin, Cameroon, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Armenia, and beyond.
Dr. Chou’s experience with Mercy Ships profoundly deepened her commitment to OMS. Serving aboard the hospital ship enabled her to help patients with advanced facial tumors and congenital deformities who had little to no access to surgical care.
She says, “The pathology was both humbling and technically challenging, but what stood out most was the resilience and gratitude of the patients. Working within a multidisciplinary, resource-conscious environment reinforced my belief that surgical skill carries a responsibility to serve beyond traditional boundaries.”
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