The red dirt roads of Butaro stretch endlessly, weaving through the scenic Rwandan hills, a world away from the lawns of Stanford University. Yet for Dr. Lars Osterberg, the distance between these two places has collapsed into something familiar; a conviction that medicine is about showing up where you are needed most.  

On a misty morning in northern Rwanda, Dr. Lars moves through the wards of Butaro Level II Teaching Hospital accompanied by medical students from the University of Global Health Equity (UGHE); there he is both teacher and student, carrying a philosophy that has guided him across four decades of practice: that the most profound learning happens when comfort zones dissolve.  

“I have always wanted to give back, particularly to the underserved”, Dr. Lars reflects, his voice carrying the weight of countless bedside conversations. It is a simple statement that shows the complexity of a career built on the radical notion that geography should not determine the quality of care one receives. 

The journey to this moment began, improbably, with dreams of football pitches rather than hospital wards. As a child, Dr. Lars imagined himself scoring goals, not saving lives. But life, as it often does, had other plans. The young man who once chased footballs across a grass field would eventually chase something more elusive: the possibility that healthcare goes beyond borders, resources, and expectations.  

At UC Berkeley, Dr. Lars first learned about the intersectionality of science and human needs through bioengineering. The laboratory work was precise, predictable, qualities that appealed to his methodical mind. Yet something was missing. “I liked the idea of medicine more because it involves working with people, for people,” he explains. This understanding not only reshaped his career trajectory but also his understanding of what it means to heal.  

The transition from Berkeley’s labs to UC Davis’ medical school, followed by a Master’s in Public Health back at Berkeley, and the completion of his internal medicine residency at Stanford University, provided the clinical foundation, but it was his early volunteer work at Berkeley’s free clinic and Oakland’s Children Hospotal, that revealed his calling. In those spaces, Dr. Lars discovered that healthcare’s most meaningful moments often occur in its most humble settings. 

With the outbreak of a major global health crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, his initial engagement with the University began. This moment exposed the urgent need for innovative approaches in global health education. He participated in remote teaching for first- and second-year medical students, and helped develop case-based clinical teaching methods alongside faculty in the pre-clinical curriculum.  

After the end of the pandemic, he took the chance and the plane to contribute to the UGHE mission. He walked the bumpy roads of Butaro, with students, teaching clinical clerkships and volunteering at local hospitals.

“Whenever I visit, I feel truly welcome. Whether collaborating in teaching or providing care at the bedside, I find the students attentive, engaged, and an absolute pleasure to work alongside.” He shares.  

His experiences in both settings – California and Butaro – have given him a unique perspective on healthcare disparities. He notes the stark contrast in medical resources, particularly in access to diagnostic tools and treatments. While conditions like hypertension and diabetes are the same in both regions, Rwanda faces additional challenges with diseases such as malaria and typhoid, which are rare in the U.S. These differences have reinforced his adaptability as a physician, requiring him to rely more on clinical judgment in resource-limited settings. 

“I mean, everybody should have access to medical care. And, you know, it shouldn’t be such a big deal.” Dr. Paul Farmer once said. The same ideology runs through the veins of Dr. Lars Osterbers. He believes that to truly understand medicine, one must first understand people, their contexts, struggles, and the inequities they face. His methodology centres on humanistic education, where compassion and clinical excellence go hand in hand.  

Among many other initiatives in global health, Dr. Lars teaches that medical students should not only master science, but also grow into advocates for the underserved. His approach invites learners to see medicine not only as a career, but also as a lifelong commitment to justice, community, and dignity of every patient.  

Dr. Lars’s dedication to compassionate, equity-centered medical education has earned him more than 25 prestigious honors and awards. Among them are the ABIM Foundation’s John A. Benson Jr., MD Professionalism Article Prize (2018), and the Learning Communities Institute’s Ron Arky Award (2022), both recognizing his deep commitment to professionalism, mentorship, and transformative learning.  

“The Essence of Giving Back” is a blog series that explores both the big and small ways our community is making a difference. At UGHE, we believe giving back is more than a charitable act, it is a philosophy of service, empathy, and responsibility. It involves contributing time, effort, or resources to a cause or community without the expectation of personal gain. Giving back is about creating a positive impact and uplifting others, often through small, intentional acts of kindness and support. Stay tuned for the following episodes.