Surgery Volunteer Vacation
There is a massive burden of surgical disease in the developing world. There are US surgeons who might be interested in volunteering their services. We want to create a forum to bring the two together.
Idea Description
In many parts of the world, surgical diseases like breast cancer, colon cancer, and hernias are left untreated due to limited infrastructure, resources, and trained personal. There are many general surgeons in the US who are interested in volunteering their services for short service vacations but do not have a simple method of contacting possible recipient hospitals. We would like to bridge that divide by creating a website based forum for discussion. As a senior surgical resident with over a year of on-site operating experiences in hospitals in southern Africa and Haiti, I am in a unique position to make that happen.
What will you do if you win $10,000 for this idea?
1. Create a website with forums for discussion, posting lists for opportunities available and wanted, listings of current surgical groups active in the world, personal experiences bulletin, and an education section with a rotating review of a general surgery topic.
2. Encourage interest in the US by posting in a few major surgical journals, presenting at surgical departments in the area, and approaching surgical societies for approval.
3. Engage the surgical directors of hospital that I have worked with directly in southern Africa and Haiti about needs that they have or that other hospitals that they know have; and establish a network of reputed hospitals with basic surgical facilities.
Vote for it now.
Best of luck, an excellent idea that holds the promise of improving the world one life at a time.
A much needed idea but I am curious to understand how you will distinguish your program from something like Doctors Without Borders. Do they have a different structure and requirements?
Chaula, Thanks for your comment. There are many programs out there that are doing many great things. Most have strict requirements. Doctors Without Borders, for example, requires two months for surgeons (more for other specialties), does not allow families, and will not accept country requests. Other groups focus on specific surgical specialties or have religious/political affiliations. This would be unique as it would make it easier for surgeons to contact hospitals directly, develop a relationship, and hopefully be involved for the remainder of their careers.
I know my husband would love to be involved somehow. Please keep him in mind.
You surgeons make enough money as it is, now you want free vacations?! You have my support!