Panamerican Journal of Trauma, Critical Care & Emergency Surgery

Register      Login

VOLUME 10 , ISSUE 2 ( May-August, 2021 ) > List of Articles

Original Article

Fostering Knowledge Transfer to Strengthen the Surgical Workforce in LMIC: Lessons Learned from an International Observership Program

Nancy Valencia-Rojas, Michel B Aboutanos, Edgar B Rodas

Keywords : Global surgery, International observership, International training experiences, Knowledge sharing, Surgical training, Surgical workforce

Citation Information : Valencia-Rojas N, Aboutanos MB, Rodas EB. Fostering Knowledge Transfer to Strengthen the Surgical Workforce in LMIC: Lessons Learned from an International Observership Program. Panam J Trauma Crit Care Emerg Surg 2021; 10 (2):61-65.

DOI: 10.5005/jp-journals-10030-1324

License: CC BY-NC 4.0

Published Online: 00-00-0000

Copyright Statement:  Copyright © 2021; The Author(s).


Abstract

Introduction: Virginia Commonwealth University and the Panamerican Trauma Society have worked collaboratively for 10 years in strategies focused on facilitating knowledge transfer and sharing with the ultimate goal of enhancing knowledge-base in the field of surgery, trauma, acute care, and EMS for physicians-in-training from Latin America countries. The International Observership Program (IOP) allows participants to rotate in a level 1 trauma facility and to observe all the interconnected components of a comprehensive trauma care cycle. This article describes and analyzes the limitations and lessons learned while running the IOP and offers a path for other academic institutions in high-income countries that may are interested in supporting knowledge-sharing initiatives and career development of the surgical workforce in LMICs. Conclusion: LMIC surgical trainees can benefit from international rotations. Knowledge-sharing initiatives targeting foreign medical providers can be effective in increasing awareness of best practices for emergency and acute care and the importance of the components of comprehensive trauma systems. The goal should always be to tailor training efforts to meet the needs of LMICs and not merely to replicate the highly specialized care offered in U.S. institutions.


HTML PDF Share
  1. Steffen Soulejman Janus. Becoming a Knowledge-sharing organization: A handbook for scaling up solutions through knowledge capturing and sharing [Internet]. Washington. DC; 2016. Available from: https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/bitstream/handle/10986/25320/9781464809439.pdf.
  2. Valencia-Rojas N, Ferrada P, Rodas EB, et al. Impact of participation in an international surgical observership program: results of an online survey. Panam J Trauma, Crit Care Emerg Surg 2019;8(3):148–153. DOI: 10.5005/jp-journals-10030-1248.
  3. Peel JK, Schlachta CM, Alkhamesi NA. A systematic review of the factors affecting choice of surgery as a career. Can J Surg 2018;61(1):58–67. DOI: 10.1503/cjs.008217.
  4. Organización Panamericana de la Salud. Residencias médicas en América Latina. 2011.
  5. Ivatury R. Panamerican trauma society travelling scholarship: a cultural, clinical and surgical exchange. PAJTCCES 2014;3(1):1.
  6. Aboutanos M, Peck GL, Paula F, et al. Can we augment the US trauma fellow's operative training? the PTS fellowship: a US surgical critical care fellow's experience in Colombia. Panam J Trauma, Crit Care Emerg Surg 2014;3(1):1–7. DOI: 10.5005/jp-journals-10030-1077.
  7. Gracias V, Gupta R, Silva JC. Nonclinical, observational trauma rotations in the United States provide international students multidisciplinary trauma program and systems education. Panam J Trauma, Crit Care Emerg Surg 2017;6(1):8–12. DOI: 10.5005/jp-journals-10030-1165.
  8. Dijkink S, Nederpelt CJ, Krijnen P, et al. Trauma systems around the world. J Trauma Acute Care Surg 2017;83(5):917–925. DOI: 10.1097/TA.0000000000001633.
  9. Prajna NV, Ravilla TD, Srinivasan S. Essential surgery: disease control priorities. Dis Control Priorities, (Volume 1) Essent Surg 2015. 197–2013.
  10. WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION Emergency & Essential Surgical Care Programme Meeting Report WHO Global Initiative for Emergency and Essential Surgical Care Eighth Biennial Meeting. 2019.
  11. Mock C, Debas H, Balch CM, et al. Global surgery: effective involvement of US academic surgery: report of the American Aurgical Association working group on global surgery. Ann Surg 2018;268(4):557–563. DOI: 10.1097/SLA.0000000000002934.
PDF Share
PDF Share

© Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) LTD.