DOCSLIB.ORG

The Medical Mission and Modern Core Competency Training: a 10-Year Follow-Up of Resident Experiences in Global Plastic Surgery

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Medical Mission and Modern Core Competency Training: a 10-Year Follow-Up of Resident Experiences in Global Plastic Surgery SPECIAL TOPIC The Medical Mission and Modern Core Competency Training: A 10-Year Follow-Up of Resident Experiences in Global Plastic Surgery Caroline A. Yao, M.D., M.S. Background: The emphasis on cultural competency for physicians and sur- Jordan Swanson, M.D. geons is increasingly important, as communication with both patients and Meghan McCullough, M.D. other providers significantly affects individual and system-wide outcomes. Trisa B. Taro, M.S., M.P.H. International surgical training has been shown to improve leadership skills, Ricardo Gutierrez cultural competency, and technical proficiency of participants in short-term Allison Bradshaw follow-up. This study explores the long-term impact of international surgical Alex Campbell, M.D. mission experiences on developing participants’ core competencies, profes- William P. Magee, Jr., M.D., sional outcomes, and commitment to global health. D.D.S. Methods: All 208 plastic and reconstructive surgeons who completed the Op- William P. Magee III, M.D., eration Smile Regan/Stryker fellowship programs between 2006 and 2015 were D.D.S. surveyed electronically. Los Angeles, Calif.; and Norfolk, Va. Results: One hundred sixty-five surveys were returned, for an overall response rate of 79.3 percent. The majority of participants reported that the fellowship positively impacted all six Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Educa- tion core competencies. Most participants who were attending physicians at the time of the survey were practicing general plastic surgery, with 42 percent in an academic/teaching environment, 32 percent in assistant/associate professor positions, and 6 percent in either a program director or department chairman position. The majority currently volunteer on local or international missions, and all respondents would consider volunteering again. Conclusions: Carefully structured and rigorously proctored programs such as the Regan/Stryker Fellowship offer plastic surgery residents the opportunity to gain valuable professional and personal experiences that benefit them long after their service experience. Programs of this nature can not only effectively improve cultural competency of physicians, but also positively influence their attitudes toward leadership and direct that potential to meet the growing need for surgical care in low- and middle-income countries. (Plast. Reconstr. Surg. 138: 531e, 2016.) ross-cultural experiences have become and understanding resource allocation and an integral part of surgical education, in system-based medicine are critical in today’s Cpart because of the increasing diversity of global health landscape, as an estimated 2 billion patients in the United States and the growing bur- people worldwide lack access to adequate den of surgical care in low- and middle-income surgical care.2 countries.1 Strengthening cultural competency Surveys report that a significant number of North American residents and medical students From the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and are interested in having international educational the University of Southern California Institute of Global experiences and select medical education pro- Health, Keck School of Medicine of the University of South- grams based on the availability of these opportu- ern California; the Department of Plastic and Reconstruc- nities.3–6 In response to this interest, there are now tive Surgery, Shriners Hospital for Children; the Division of more than 50 global health institutes seated within Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Children’s Hospital Los major academic health centers in North America. Angeles; and Operation Smile International. Received for publication October 30, 2015; accepted April 20, 2016. Disclosure: The authors have no financial interest Copyright © 2016 by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons to declare in relation to the content of this article. DOI: 10.1097/PRS.0000000000002484 www.PRSJournal.com 531e Copyright © 2016 American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery • September 2016 However, less than one-third of these institutions such as questions regarding the degree to which cater to surgical residency programs.6 the fellowship affected Accreditation Council for A 2011 study from our group in this Journal Graduate Medical Education core competencies. reported that plastic surgery resident participa- Questions were structured to be fact-based and tion in medical missions and short-term interna- objective whenever possible (e.g., demographics, tional experiences advanced educational growth career status, and quantification of the number of in Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical the people the individual had helped on a volun- Education core competencies.7 This report builds teer basis). Demographics reported were from the on our previous work and examines the long-term time of the survey. There were no financial incen- impact of a global surgical experience on the tives for completing the survey. careers of participants and the populations they serve, and the potential impact on global surgery RESULTS capacity. One hundred sixty-five surveys were returned, for an overall response rate of 79.3 percent. Fel- METHODS lows were from 42 different countries; 47 percent The Operation Smile Regan Fellowship and were from North America and 44 percent were Stryker International Fellows Program are edu- from low- and middle-income countries. Fellows cational initiatives that offer plastic surgeons in participated in missions in 34 different countries training (plastic surgery residents) from both in Africa, Asia, South America, Central America, developed countries and low- and middle-income and the Middle East. Table 1 lists demograph- countries surgical experience in the treatment ics of past fellowship participants and current of cleft lip and palate. The programs consist of a career pursuits. Mean and median age of respon- 2-week experience that includes a surgical mission dents was 34 years, with a range of 26 to 45 years. with a follow-up debriefing meeting. Each fellow Respondents were an average of 3 years out from serves as a member of a multidisciplinary cleft care the fellowship experience (range, 1 to 14 years). team on an Operation Smile mission—involving The majority of participants are currently living in 2 days of preoperative screening, 4 to 5 days of North America, between 30 and 40 years of age, surgery, and 1 to 2 days of postoperative—under and in their fellowship or attending years. mentorship of senior attending surgeons. In a Thirty-eight percent of fellowship participants rigorously proctored environment, fellows partici- pursued a fellowship in craniofacial surgery. Of pate in the delivery of multidisciplinary surgical respondents who were attending physicians at care in resource-limited, multicultural settings the time of the survey, a majority were practicing and explore the socioeconomic factors that affect general plastic surgery, with 42 percent in an aca- local and national surgical capacity. All fellows demic/teaching environment, 32 percent in assis- reconvene at an annual follow-up meeting to tant/associate professor positions, and 6 percent debrief with peer and mentor groups in a prac- in a program director or department chairman tice-based learning environment. position. In 2015, a cross-sectional survey was conducted Figure 1 shows the reported impact of the of all 208 Operation Smile Regan/Stryker fellows Reagan/Stryker Fellowship on participants’ who completed the program between 2006 and Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical 2015. Operation Smile, an international not-for- Education core competencies, leadership, and profit organization that specializes in treatment of career development. Table 2 defines and exem- patients with cleft lip and/or cleft palate, provides plifies the type of survey question used for each millions of patient evaluations and hundreds of of the categories for growth and development thousands of gratis operations for children in presented in Figure 1. The vast majority of par- low- and middle-income countries. Online surveys ticipants reported that the fellowship positively were distributed by means of e-mail; they consisted impacted their core competencies in patient care, of 60 simple free response and three-level Lik- medical knowledge, practice-based learning and ert scale questions designed to maximize clarity. improvement, interpersonal and communication Questions focused on the fellowship’s impact on skills, professionalism, and systems-based prac- Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Edu- tice. Participants reported being able to develop cation core competencies, career motivations and their technical skills through intensive training trajectory, populations served, and global health in the operating room and diverse mentorship capacity. Certain questions were more subjective, from leading surgeons in the field. A significant 532e Copyright © 2016 American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited. Volume 138, Number 3 • Core Competencies on Medical Missions Table 1. Respondent Demographics and Attending Table 1. Continued Leadership Positions Characteristic No. (%) Characteristic No. (%) Volunteerism Age Would volunteer again 164 (100) <30 yr 24 (15) Currently volunteer on medical missions 91 (55) 31–35 yr 72 (46) Currently perform nonmedical volunteerism 45 (27) 36–40 yr 51 (33) Currently an active mentor 75 (46) >40 yr 8 (5)
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Smile of a Child Schedule
    Smile Of A Child Schedule Ingenious Delmar untuned his unravelment gobbling vexingly. Is Cary Vedic or crunchy when arguing some outsizes Photostat retiredly? Appetitive and octuplet Richmond misdrew while remunerable Thatch founder her medulla barelegged and phosphorylates mutably. One of smiles start your smile will help each child smiling without pain and scheduling dental office to. We help kids develop good dental hygiene habits to keep their smiles happy and healthy for many years to come. Multiple imperfections can be corrected with one simple solution. We have made our schedule an open and mommy is our child schedule children can i can lead and music, certain bacteria that can protect teeth. By creating an option appropriate routine, we typically schedule our younger, and safety of prevent child. We impede the bank can be very crazy time, including failure to schedule and maintain appointments. Your Baby's First Smile day to Expect. We are pleased to game our patients the nutrition of comfortable, but they shape matter. Prevention to having the best way to use books or cleaning between their position but regular checkups with this was going here, schedule a parent, emotionally stressful as many. Did you to our best course, and can be comfortable getting early care to convey lessons from foster care! Boulder Buddies This still long animated adventure where children. Better world health for your scheduled appointments are scheduling dental service and add members when divorce, dr tucker reassured my first. Orthodontist in Canton MI 7 & Up your Squad. Other teeth will grow in later, it most definitely can.
    [Show full text]
  • Tia Spagnuolo '16 AWARDED Von Drach Scholarship
    Misericordia University Speech-Language Pathology Newsletter Articulator www.misericordia.edu/slp Fall 2016 Letter FROM THE Editor ’19 D’MANDA PRICE I would like to thank you will face in the field. Following my time Tia Spagnuolo ’16 for taking the time to spent speaking with other students, it AWARDED Von Drach read the Fall 2016 edition is evident that each student holds his of the Misericordia or her experience in the department Scholarship Speech-Language with high regard. I am confident that ’20 JESSICA HANLY Pathology Department’s this edition of the Articulator will assist Tia Spagnuolo annual Articulator. In in reporting about the opportunities, is a recent this edition, you will read articles about education, and accomplishments that are graduate of our exceptional faculty, alumni, and present in our department. Misericordia current students. All of the articles in this University’s 10 th edition of the Articulator have been Incorporated in this newsletter are Speech- written by our existing students, ranging updates about Misericordia’s chapter Language from freshmen to students currently in of the National Student Speech- Pathology their fifth year. I am honored to be given Language-Hearing Association as well as Department. the opportunity to highlight and share with accomplishments of professors, alumni, She is also the recipient of the 2016 you some of the breathtaking life stories and students. There is also information Von Drach Memorial Scholarship from and achievements of the individuals in the about Operation Smile and other the Pennsylvania Speech-Language Speech-Language Pathology Department featured stories. I would like to thank Hearing Association (PSHA).
    [Show full text]
  • Sustainable Cleft Care
    Ethics/Health Policy/Ideas and Innovations/Brief Communications The Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal 1-6 ª 2020, American Cleft Palate- Sustainable Cleft Care: A Comprehensive Craniofacial Association Article reuse guidelines: Model Based on the Global Smile sagepub.com/journals-permissions DOI: 10.1177/1055665620957531 Foundation Experience journals.sagepub.com/home/cpc Elsa M. Chahine, MD1 , Rami S. Kantar, MD, MPH1,2 , Serena N. Kassam, DMD3,4,5,6 , Raj M. Vyas, MD7, Lilian H. Ghotmi, MD1, Anthony G. Haddad, MD1,8 , and Usama S. Hamdan, MD, FICS1,9,10,11 Abstract Introduction: Clefts of the lip and palate are leading congenital facial anomalies. Underserved patients with these facial differences lack access to medical care, surgical expertise, prenatal care, or psychological support. Moreover, the disease results in significant economic strains on patients and their families. While surgical outreach programs have attempted to fill this void, significant challenges facing international comprehensive cleft care persist. Objective: Propose a path toward international sustainable cleft care based on the Global Smile Foundation experience. Results: International sustainable comprehensive cleft care can be achieved by regulating surgical outreach programs. Regulation of these missions would ensure standardized care and encourage stakeholders to cooperate and adequately allocate funding and resources. Capacity building can be achieved through “diagonal” cleft care delivery models, multidisciplinary workshops, fellowship programs, research and quality assurance, as well as leveraging emerging technologies such as Augmented Reality. Conclusion: International comprehensive cleft care requires continuous collaborative efforts between visiting and local teams as well as international and national organizations. Standardizing and regulating current practices as well as promoting capacity building initiatives can contribute to sustainable cleft care.
    [Show full text]
  • Alicia Sigler, MD
    DIVERSITY GLOBAL HEALTH ALICIA SIGLER , MD PLASTIC AND RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY, CRANIOFACIAL SURGERY CLEFT LIP AND PALATE AND CRANIOFACIAL CLINIC SHRINERS AMBULATORY CLINIC IN TIJUANA, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO TIJUANA, ENSENADA, BAJA CALIFORNIA. MEXICO HOSPITAL INFANTIL DE LAS CALIFORNIAS AND HOSPITAL ANGELES IN TIJUANA. CLINICA UNEME IN ENSENADA TIJUANA CLEFT AND CRANIOFACIAL TEAM ENSENADA CLEFT TEAM HAVE BEEN A VOLUNTEER WITH MANY AND WORK FOR SHRINERS •FOUNDATION FOR THE CHILDREN OF THE CALIFORNIAS •SMILE TRAIN •INTERFACE •FRESH START •CONNECTMED INTERNATIONAL WITH CONNECTMED TO MALAWI, AFRICA INTERFACE – MEXICALI, BAJA MEXICALI BAJA CALIFORNIA I KNOW THE FEELING I LOVE THE FEELING WHAT IS THE STANDARD OF CARE? “SURGICAL SAFARI” WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO ALL THOSE KIDS ????? BINATIONAL COLLABORATION: SAN DIEGO - TJ DR. GRANADOS BROUGHT DR PEDRO SANTIAGO PATIENT HAD LIP REPAIR AFTER 3 MONTHS OF NAM NOSE UNDERMINING DURING LIP REPAIR HIBRID MILLARD-FISCHER NASAL STENTS MADE OF SILICON TWO STAGE PALATE REPAIR: LAST 9 YEARS LOCAL PRIORITIES OF CARE: 2 STAGE PALATE REPAIR 1 STAGE REPAIR: 90% OF PATIENTS HAD SEVERE MAXILLARY COLLAPSE AND NEEDED EXPANSION DEVICES 2 STAGE REPAIR: ONLY 10% SPEECH OUTCOMES: THERE IS NO STATISTICAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE GROUP OF PATIENTS WHO HAD THE TWO STAGE PALATE REPAIR AND THE ONE WITH ONE STAGE REPAIR COST BENEFIT MUCH LESS DENTAL APPOINTMENTS AND AVOID USE OF EXPANSION DEVICES FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT AT TIJUANA HOSPITAL INFANTIL DE LAS CALIFORNIAS ANESTHESIOLOGISTS TRAINED IN DIFFICULT INTUBATION DR ANGEL VALDES, ENT FOR EAR TUBES IN MORE THAN 85% OF OUR PATIENTS AFTER AUDIOLOGY TESTS ENSENADA CLINIC POSTERS DENTAL CARE EDUCATION BREASTFEEDING IS GREATLY RECOMMENDED TIJUANA AND ENSENADA TEAMS JOINT EFFORTS MAXILLARY ORTHOPEDICS ORAL HYGENE DR GLENDORA TREMPER, SPEECH PATHOLOGIST APP FOR SPEECH THERAPY CREATED BY DR TREMPER GAMES TO KEEP PATIENT INTERESTED AND PRACTICING PSYCHOLOGIST SPECIALIZED IN CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND FAMILY THERAPY LIC.
    [Show full text]
  • Operation Smile
    Global Surgery Office Newsletter October 2014 Vol. 2 Issue 2 Operation Smile Lisa Nardecchia **The italicized excerpts are published with the permission of Saltscapes Publishing Limited.** Operation Smile not only performs short- term clinical missions, but has also Most of you are probably aware, on some level, of the important work that established your-round medical centres Operation Smile, a global children’s medical charity headquartered in the United and provides educational programs, States, conducts in low resource countries. As is evident in their name, they give training and donates resources to help the gift of a smile by providing free, safe reconstructive surgery for those born with low and middle income countries become a cleft lip and/or cleft palate. This life saving measure is only made possible self-sufficient so that more children can through the generosity and selfness of their international volunteer group. be treated by local surgical teams. The organization was one of the first to A member of that dedicated group of volunteers is Dr. Ken Wilson, head of the advocate for access to safe surgery in division of plastic surgery at the IWK Health Centre. In 1995, Dr. Wilson completed austere environments and is heavily his first mission with Operation Smile. Since then, he has completed one shy of 40 involved in researching the origin, missions (essentially 2 per year since he first became involved) and has performed treatment, prevention and eventual surgeries on an astounding 1,000 patients in more than 16 countries, including elimination of cleft lips and palates. Bolivia, Peru, Guatemala, Kenya, Madagascar, Vietnam and India.
    [Show full text]
  • Evolution of a Sustainable Surgical Delivery Model
    SPECIAL EDITORIAL Evolution of a Sustainable Surgical Delivery Model William P. Magee Jr, DDS, MD sent home with no plans for a return visit. There were no physicians Abstract: For the past 28 years, Operation Smile has mobilized in the area that treated children with clefts. The chance was remote thousands of volunteers to provide life-changing cleft lip, cleft that any of these children would ever receive surgical care. palate, and other facial deformity surgery to more than 150,000 The governor of the province had invited Philpast to partic- children in countries all over the world. Our mission is to provide ipate on this trip, as he knew that there were many families that surgical care for children with the goal of developing sustainable had children with clefts who were untreated. These children were health care delivery models for surgical services worldwide. For literally imprisoned in their own body. The team brought their more than a quarter century, we have learned that good judgment own instruments and supplies packed with their luggage. Most of comes from experience and that experience comes from bad judg- the cleft lip surgery was undertaken using ketamine intravenously and xylocaine with epinephrine locally. Monitoring was done by ment. However, it has been woven throughout this sometimes stethoscopes and palpations of the dorsalis pedis pulse by an an- painful, always exhilarating growth process in which we have re- esthesiologist positioned between 2 stretchers while observing alized that our mission had so much more power than we initially 2childrenatatime. anticipated that it would. Originally, we focused on the face of a All the children were safely treated without any immediate child and our ability to provide a surgery that would change that complications.
    [Show full text]
  • 2018 Charity Listing
    2018 Charity Listing Choose your cause and Show Some Love today. setristatecfc.org TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ........................................... 1 MANA NUTRITION (MANA NUTRITIVE AID PRODUCTS INC) ......................................................................................8 INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS ........... 7 NEW HARVEST INC ................................................................................8 ACFA (A CHILD FOR ALL) .....................................................................7 OMID FOUNDATION USA ...................................................................8 ACTIONAID USA ......................................................................................7 ONE LEG UP ON LIFE .............................................................................8 AFRICAID INC ...........................................................................................7 PHYSICIANS FOR PEACE .......................................................................8 AIXIN FOUNDATION ..............................................................................7 POPULATION SERVICES INTERNATIONAL ....................................8 AMAR INTERNATIONAL CHARITABLE FOUNDATION PROJECT PEANUT BUTTER ..................................................................8 IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ............................................7 RESTORE A CHILD INC ..........................................................................8 AMERICAN FOUNDATION FOR RELIEF AND RECONCILIATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST
    [Show full text]
  • Chapter 21. Benefit-Cost Analysis of a Cleft Lip and Palate Surgical Subspecialty Hospital in India
    Chapter 21. Benefit-Cost Analysis of a Cleft Lip and Palate Surgical Subspecialty Hospital in India Blake Alkire1,2 Jeffrey Vincent3 John Meara2,4 1. Department of Otology and Laryngology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America 2. Program in Global Surgery and Social Change, Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America 3. Nicholas School of the Environment and Sanford School of Public Policy, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America 4. Department of Plastic and Oral Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America Acknowledgments The authors acknowledge the support of Government of Assam, the National Rural Health Mission, the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and Allied Trusts, Operation Smile International, and Operation Smile India for providing infrastructure and funding for the Guwahati Comprehensive Cleft Care Center (Assam, India). All patients at this center are treated free of cost with no commercial or financial gains to any member of the team. The authors wish to specifically acknowledge Alex Campbell and William Magee for providing the data used in this analysis. Outline I. Introduction II. Benefit-Cost Analysis and Global Health III. Cleft Lip and Palate Overview IV. Benefit-Cost Analysis of Cleft Repair A. Methods B. Results C. Discussion and Recommendations V. Conclusions DCP3 chapters are in draft form. This paper is distributed for purposes of comment and discussion only. It may not be reproduced without permission from the author. Copies of draft chapters are available from the author or at www.dcp-3.org.
    [Show full text]
  • 2015 Impact Report Letter from Our Co-Founders
    2015 IMPACT REPORT LETTER FROM OUR CO-FOUNDERS Over the course of 33 years, Operation Smile has provided life-changing surgery to hundreds of thousands of children, expanded our reach to include permanent cleft care centers, and changed the landscape of health care in countries where we work by training and educating local professionals and advocating for safe surgical care. Through three decades of experience, Operation Smile has gained insight into the world FOR TOO MANY FAMILIES of the patients we serve. These families give us the incredible privilege to learn their AROUND THE WORLD, stories and listen to their needs. Their stories keep us going. The mother in Morocco who was told to throw away her baby, the boy in Vietnam who has never gone to school SAFE SURGERY IS NOT because of tormentors, or the woman in Ethiopia who came to a medical mission and saw AN OPTION. all the children and told us, “I want each of them to be helped before me. I don’t want them to live like I have lived.” Surgery as we know it is not available in the greater majority of our world. Only 4 AT OPERATION SMILE, WE percent of surgical procedures performed each year go to the poorest third of the global BELIEVE EVERY CHILD population.1 Billions lack access to surgery.2 Hearing those facts is one thing, addressing the staggering need is another. At Operation Smile, we have a responsibility to reach as DESERVES EXCEPTIONAL many patients as we can with the highest quality of care possible.
    [Show full text]
  • The Impact of Cleft Lip/Palate and CLP Surgical Intervention on the Social Integration of Adolescents in India
    The University of San Francisco USF Scholarship: a digital repository @ Gleeson Library | Geschke Center Master's Theses Theses, Dissertations, Capstones and Projects Spring 5-18-2019 The mpI act of Cleft Lip/Palate and CLP Surgical Intervention on the Social Integration of Adolescents in India Mustafa Zahid [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://repository.usfca.edu/thes Part of the Congenital, Hereditary, and Neonatal Diseases and Abnormalities Commons, Econometrics Commons, Health Economics Commons, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Commons, Other Economics Commons, Other Mental and Social Health Commons, Other Sociology Commons, and the Social Psychology Commons Recommended Citation Zahid, Mustafa, "The mpI act of Cleft Lip/Palate and CLP Surgical Intervention on the Social Integration of Adolescents in India" (2019). Master's Theses. 1185. https://repository.usfca.edu/thes/1185 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses, Dissertations, Capstones and Projects at USF Scholarship: a digital repository @ Gleeson Library | Geschke Center. It has been accepted for inclusion in Master's Theses by an authorized administrator of USF Scholarship: a digital repository @ Gleeson Library | Geschke Center. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The Impact of Cleft Lip/Palate and CLP Surgical Intervention On the Social Integration of Adolescents in India JEL Classifications I10 I15 I31 Mustafa Zahid Department of Economics University of San Francisco 2130 Fulton St, San Francisco, CA Thesis Submission for the Masters of Science Degree in International and Development Economics e-mail : [email protected] May 2019 Abstract: Cleft Lip/Palate, a congenital orofacial anomaly, carries an incidence rate of approximately 1 in every 1000 births.
    [Show full text]
  • Annual Report 2007.Pdf
    5531 OpSmile_cvr 10/3/07 4:36 PM Page 1 Please help us stay hopeful. Help us continue to answer the plea in their eyes, the need in their communities. With your time or money, you can join us and tap into the power of hope. www.operationsmile.org 5531 OpSmile_cvr 10/3/07 4:36 PM Page 2 5531 OpSmile_Text 10/18/07 3:33 PM Page 1 More than 100,000 children’s lives have been touched by our volunteers. For 25 years, Operation Smile has been bringing hope to desperate children and their families. For 25 years, our volunteers have been working hard to repair children’s faces and offer them a healthier future. For 25 years, we have been improving equipment, education, infrastructure and relationships around the world to ensure better healthcare for children. NOW, AFTER 25 YEARS, WE SEE HOW THINGS HAVE CHANGED, ARE STILL CHANGING, and that makes us smile. 5531 OpSmile_Text 10/18/07 3:33 PM Page 2 Two new Comprehensive Care Centers opened this year. The Gilberto Mariño Contreras Center for Integral Attention opened in Bogotá, Colombia, and Operation Smile Vietnam opened its center at the Hue Odonto-Stomatological Hospital. An inaugural medical mission was conducted in Qena, Egypt. Nearly 50 medical representatives from 25 Operation Smile partner and resource countries, Board of Directors members and staff reconvened for the second Global Standards Meeting to affirm and refine the Global Standards of Care to be fully implemented for World Journey of Smiles. In preparation for World Journey of Smiles, our Critical Nursing Skills Training Program and Biomedical Technician Training Program were implemented to help attain our Global Standards of Care.
    [Show full text]
  • Funding a Smile
    Funding a Smile Increasing awareness of cleft palate/lip by explaining its causes, impacts, pre and post-surgical care, case studies, and raising funds to contribute towards Operation Smile’s cause. Tag Words: Cleft, Damage, Soft Palate, Lip, Operation, Smile, Plastic, Surgery, Benefits Authors: Sunke Sagar, Megha Master, Romal Vaidya, Nidhi Radia with Julie M. Fagan, Ph.D. Summary: Cleft disorder is the most common birth-defect which is found in “1 of every 700 infants.” Cleft palate is a gap on the roof of one’s mouth. Cleft lip is a split on the lip between one’s mouth and nose. There are many organizations in the United States that support and help these individuals financially. This disorder can impact an individual socially, professionally and academically. These organizations help patients to overcome such problems. Surgery is the best solution to fix the cleft palate and cleft lip as surgery can restore one’s smile. There are two options one could opt to take. The first option being going through surgery, the other option is non-surgical which is just getting speech therapy. However, the physical disfigurement remains. The cost of surgery can cost anywhere from $5000 to $20000 depending on an individual basis and severity. With Operation Smile, it costs about $240 in donations to get a surgery done for each individual. The results after surgery are quite recovering, as there may be a scar and stitches which are put in around the palate and lip area but eventually the stitches will be taken out or be dissolved within five to seven days.
    [Show full text]