ORTHOPAEDICS

Thimphu & Mongar, Bhutan - National Referral Hospital & Eastern Regional Referral Hospital

The primary site in Thimphu needs volunteers to provide training to orthopaedic surgeons, a general surgeon, orthopaedic assistants and technicians. Volunteers who have previously served in Bhutan are needed for 6 - 8 week assignments in Mongar, in the eastern part of the country. Volunteers must be board eligible/certified, retired and actively practicing surgeons and/or in either private practice or with academic appointments. Final year residents are accepted if paired with an attending. Assignments are 4 weeks.

Phnom Penh, Cambodia - Sihanouk Hospital Center of Hope

Volunteers provide training in orthopaedic procedures to Cambodian physicians who will assume responsibility for orthopaedic care at SHCH. Training provided in many sub-specialty areas including amputation care, internal fixation, spine, polio, and foot and ankle surgery. Volunteers for this program must be board eligible/certified. Recently retired surgeons are also welcome. Final year residents are accepted if paired with an attending. Assignments are 2 - 4 weeks.

Bamenda NW Province, Cameroon - Mbingo Baptist Hospital

Volunteers provide bedside and hands-on training to residents at Mbingo Baptist Hospital located in the NW Province of this central African country. They also will develop a curriculum for an orthopaedic officer training program. Volunteers must be board eligible/ certified and hold a current license. Retired surgeons are welcome. Assignments are 4 weeks.

Wenzhou, China - Wenzhou Medical School

Volunteers provide orthopaedic sub-specialty training for residents and physicians at the Wenzhou Medical College. Volunteers with expertise in the following areas are needed: trauma, sports medicine, MSK oncology, upper extremity, spine, foot and ankle, pediatric orthopaedic and adult reconstruction. Volunteers for this program must be board eligible/certified. Residents are accepted if paired with an attending. Assignments are 3- 4 weeks.

San Jose, Liberia, Costa Rica - Caja Costaricese de Seguro Social

Volunteers provide training at 8 hospitals. Topics include (but are not limited to): scoliosis surgery, thoracoscopy, pelvic osteotomies, surgical treatment of club foot, limb length discrepancies, knee and hip arthroplasties, the use of locking plates, internal fixation of hand and limb fractures and shoulder arthroscopy. Active/retired orthopaedic surgeons are needed and must be board certified/eligible, hold a current license, and have minimum 3 years of experience. Final year residents who are paired with another fully trained volunteer are qualified. Assignments are 1 week.

Kumasi, Ghana - Accident and Emergency Center at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital

The goals of this project are to assist the faculty to increase the number and quality of trained orthopaedic and trauma physicians in Ghana; to assist in the acquisition of teaching/training materials; and to develop a sustainable training program that will produce both practicing surgeons and orthopaedic faculty. Volunteers should be board certified/eligible and need an active license to practice medicine unless they are retired. The initial focus of the program is on trauma and pediatrics with other specialties such as hand and upper extremity being explored. Prior academic experience helpful but is not required. Residents should be accompanied by a willing mentor.

Tegucigalpa, Honduras - Hospital Escuela

Hand surgeons are needed to augment the training curriculum in hand surgery for plastic, orthopaedic, and general surgery residents. Assignments are for a minimum of 1week with volunteers needed 4 times a year.

Blantyre, Malawi - Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital

Volunteers are needed to provide educational support to the Department of Surgery, specifically to train Orthopaedic Clinical Officers (OCO's). After completing their training, OCO's are assigned to regional hospitals which do not have orthopaedic surgeons on staff. Both generalists and sub-specialists are recruited. Volunteers for this program must be board eligible/certified. Residents are accepted if paired with an attending. Assignments are 4 weeks.

Chisinau, Moldova - State University of Medicine and Pharmacy

This program focuses on providing orthopaedic training in a variety of sub-specialties to local physicians, residents, and medical students. Volunteers must be board eligible/certified and have extensive sub-specialty training. Assignments are 2 weeks and are scheduled in the fall and spring.

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia - National Traumatology and Orthopaedic Research Center

Volunteers provide training to orthopaedic surgery faculty members and residents working at the center. Specialty areas include pelvic and acetabular trauma, knee arthroscopy, pediatric orthopaedics, hand surgery, and other orthopaedic sub-specialty areas as identified by the site. Volunteers need to have five years of professional experience, must be board eligible/certified and hold a current license. Final year residents are eligible to volunteer if paired with an experienced volunteer surgeon. Retired volunteers are welcome. Assignments are a minimum of 2 weeks.

Managua, Nicaragua - Hospital Antonio Lenin Fonseca, Hospital Escuela Roberto Caldern, Hospital Militar and Hospital Fernando Velez Paiz

Volunteers are needed to improve the training in the state hospital and military hospital residency programs by providing clinical and didactic education in general orthopaedics and all specialty areas. Volunteers may be retired or in active practice. Sub-specialists and generalists are welcome. Volunteers should hold a current license in the US or Canada and must be board certified/eligible and must have at least three years of professional experience. Residents can be sent if paired with another volunteer. Assignments are 2 weeks.

Lima, Peru - EsSalud Hospital System

This program seeks volunteers to provide continuing orthopaedic education for health professionals with the Empresa De Seguros De Salud (EsSalud) Hospital System, mostly level III and level IV institutions. Duties include rounds and consultations with staff and residents, patient selection, surgical demonstrations, lectures, and other activities. In addition to Lima, volunteers also have the opportunity to work in Cusco and Arequipa. Generalists as well as sub-specialists are needed. Volunteers need to have 5 years of professional experience. Residents may volunteer if paired with an attending. Assignments are 2 weeks.

Vieux Fort, St. Lucia - St. Jude Hospital

St Jude Hospital experienced a major fire in September 2009. The facility has been evacuated and is now located at the nearby George Odlum Stadium. Volunteers provide basic orthopaedic care. The work schedule involves surgical clinics and planned operative cases. The case load varies, but the usual work day runs from morning to early afternoon. Volunteers must be board certified/eligible, retired or in active practice and hold a current license. 3 years of professional experience are required. Assignments are 2 - 4 weeks.

Mthatha, South Africa - Bedford Orthopaedic Centre

There is an organized orthopaedic program at Bedford Orthopaedic Centre affiliated with the Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital and the Mthatha General Hospital. Volunteers are involved in daily morning conferences, surgery, teaching residents and instructing a class of Orthopaedic Nurse Practitioners. Volunteers who are board eligible/certified, retired or in active practice; those with academic appointments as well as private practice physicians are accepted for this program. Volunteers must hold a current license. Final year residents are considered. Assignments are 4 weeks.

Moshi, Tanzania - Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center (KCMC)

Volunteers provide training at KCMC to orthopaedic faculty members and residents. Generalists as needed as well as sub-specialists in a variety of specialties including but not limited to hand, foot and ankle, spine, and oncology. Training provided through presentations, participating in clinics and rounds, as well as hand-on demonstrations. Volunteers must hold a current license. Residents may volunteer if paired with an experienced volunteer. Assignments are 2 - 4 weeks.

Kampala, Uganda - Mulago Hospital

Volunteers participate in teaching residents in the Masters of Medicine of Orthopaedic Surgery Program as well as teaching orthopaedic assistants, medical students and physicians at the national teaching hospital. Surgeons also conduct clinics and operating sessions with Ugandan doctors in upcountry regional hospitals. Volunteers must be board eligible/certified. Physicians may be either retired or in active practice. Volunteers need least 1 year of professional experience and hold a current license. Assignments are 4 weeks.