Before sunrise each day, Tom Catena, MD, begins his morning with prayer in a small chapel in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan, then walks to Mother of Mercy Hospital where hundreds of patients await the care of the region’s only doctor.
Speaking to VCOM-Carolinas students on Nov. 3, during a rare visit away from Africa, he offered an unfiltered account of what it means to practice medicine when resources are scarce but compassion is not. He brought with him a message that reflected the college’s own mission: that medicine, at its heart, is an act of service.
Dr. Catena is the only full-time physician for more than three million people in the remote and war-torn Nuba Mountains of Sudan. Since 2008, he has served as medical director and surgeon at Mother of Mercy Hospital, which he helped establish. Working without reliable infrastructure, he provides surgical, obstetric, and primary care under conditions few physicians will ever experience.
In his talk at VCOM-Carolinas, Dr. Catena described the extraordinary demands of practicing medicine in an area with no running water, limited electricity, and scarce medical supplies. After his morning prayer, his days include hospital rounds during which he sees hundreds of patients across maternity, pediatric, and surgical wards. He frequently performs procedures ranging from cesarean deliveries to complex orthopedic and abdominal surgeries and remains on call through the night.
Dr. Catena emphasized that it is faith, commitment, and adaptability—not equipment—that sustain his work. A devout Catholic, he said his faith is what enables him to remain in Sudan despite the daily hardships and isolation. “Without my Catholic faith, I would not be there now,” he said. “The work is too difficult. My faith undergirds everything I do from the start of the day to the end of the night.”
He also reflected on how his vocation has evolved from practicing medicine to training others. In addition to serving patients, Dr. Catena oversees the education of local clinical officers, nurses, and medical interns. “Unless you’re leaving part of yourself behind and sharing those skills with other people, you’re just running in place,” he said.
Dr. Catena’s message to VCOM-Carolinas students was clear: medicine is a calling that demands humility, perseverance, and purpose. He reminded them that the same qualities needed to serve in Sudan—faith, compassion, and a willingness to adapt—are equally vital to serving rural and underserved populations closer to home.
VCOM-Carolinas Dean Matthew Cannon, DO, FACOFP, said the visit exemplified the college’s mission. “Dr. Catena’s example shows what it truly means to dedicate one’s life to service,” Cannon said. “His commitment to caring for others under extreme conditions challenges all of us to think about how we can better serve our own communities.”
Dr. Catena’s story resonated deeply with students preparing for careers in osteopathic medicine, many of whom will serve in medically underserved regions of the United States. His life’s work, grounded in faith and service, stands as a reminder that the heart of medicine lies not in technology or comfort, but in compassion, endurance, and devotion to others.
About Dr. Catena
A native of New York and a former U.S. Navy physician, Dr. Catena trained in family medicine before beginning missionary work in Africa more than two decades ago. What began as a one-year commitment in Kenya grew into a lifelong vocation of medical service. In 2008, he moved to Sudan to help establish Mother of Mercy Hospital, where he has remained through years of civil conflict and humanitarian crises.
