Dr. David Knight and Clark Jones, instructor in biology, will give students a perspective on Liberian healthcare Thursday in the Sid W. Richardson Building.

Knight was asked to do a surgery at the John F. Kennedy Hospital in Monrovia, Liberia in 2009.

In 2010, Knight returned to the JFK Hospital with two of his surgical residents and spent two weeks teaching, operating and learning about the healthcare system in Liberia.

Now he travels with a team to the JFK Hospital every September and March. His team has expanded to include other surgeons, anesthesiologists, surgical scrub technicians and a biomedical engineer.

On each trip the team performs roughly 50 general surgeries.

Jones said a significant aspect of Knight’s work consists of managing patients with infectious disease and helping hospitals that lack equipment, tests and prescription drugs.

Many courses at TCU incorporate lessons on global impacts and emphasize the need to act as a global citizen in the students’ fields.

Jones’ classes pertain to healthcare and microbial disease outbreaks occurring throughout the world.

“As my students enter into the healthcare field, I wanted them to have a chance to examine healthcare on a domestic and international level,” Jones said. “That is why I invited my good friend, Dr. Knight, as a visiting speaker to present his vision for healthcare in developing nations.”

Knight is a general surgeon practicing in Waterbury, Connecticut. He received his bachelor’s degree from Harvard College and did his medical training at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.

The lecture will be Thursday from 8-9:20 a.m. in Sid Rich lecture hall one.