ORTHOPAEDICS
If I could sum up my experiences and give advice to anyone volunteering with HVO, it would be the following: Come with an open mind in terms of people, culture, and medical treatments. You will find yourself transformed and forever changed through the experience.”
-HVO Orthopaedics Volunteer
READY TO VOLUNTEER?
There are multiple steps to the placement process and often more than one approval is required. The process varies slightly from country-to-country and project-to-project. We strive to make this process as quick as possible but potential volunteers should be aware that final approval can take several months.
- To begin the placement process, complete the volunteer application and submit your CV.
ACTIVE PROJECTS
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.
Teaching Topics: Orthopaedics – sub-specialties including spine, pediatrics, sports medicine, and hand surgery
Opportunities for Those-in-Training: No
Qualifications: Board eligible/certified (active or retired); current license required; academic appointment or in private practice; sub-specialty (or previous Bhutan volunteer experience) required
Housing: Housing is provided.
Companions: Suitable for companion/spouse; not suitable for children
La Paz, Bolivia – Hospital Arco Iris
Volunteers provide teaching and training to orthopaedic surgeons, a plastic surgeon, interns and nurses. Topics include arthroscopy, complex trauma, pediatric spine, microsurgery, and other areas identified by the site. Volunteers must speak Spanish.
Teaching Topics: Orthopaedics – sub-specialties including arthroscopy, complex trauma, pediatric spin, and microsurgery
Opportunities for Those-in-Training: Final year residents accepted if paired with an appropriate preceptor.
Qualifications: Board eligible/certified; current license to practice (active or retired); Spanish language skills required
Housing: Volunteer responsible for housing; assistance and information on nearby facilities provided.
Companions: Suitable for companion/spouse; suitable for children
Wenzhou, China – Wenzhou Medical University
Volunteers provide orthopaedic sub-specialty training for residents and physicians at the Wenzhou Medical University.
Teaching Topics: Orthopaedics – sub-specialties including trauma, sports medicine, msk oncology, upper extremity, spine, foot & ankle, pediatric orthopaedics, and adult reconstruction
Opportunities for Those-in-Training: No
Qualifications: Board eligible/certified; current license required; sub-specialty training
Housing: Housing is provided.
Companions: Suitable for companion/spouse; not suitable for children
San Jose, Costa Rica – Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social
Volunteers provide training to orthopaedic residents and staff at hospitals which are part of the CCSS in San Jose, Costa Rica.
Teaching Topics: Orthopaedics – all topics; scoliosis surgery, thoracoscopy, pelvic osteotomies, cub foot, limb length, knee & hip arthroplasties, locking plates, internal fixation of hand & limb fractures and shoulder arthroscopy of particular interest
Opportunities for Those-in-Training: No
Qualifications: Board eligible/certified; current license to practice (active or retired); minimum of 5 years experience
Housing: Volunteer responsible for housing; information on nearby facilities provided.
Companions: Suitable for companion/spouse; suitable for children
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, trauma, and plastic surgeons 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/plastics faculty. The initial focus of the program is on trauma and pediatrics with other specialties being explored.
Teaching Topics: Orthopaedics – trauma and pediatric orthopaedics
Opportunities for Those-in-Training: Final year residents accepted if paired with an appropriate preceptor.
Qualifications: Board eligible/certified; current license to practice (active or retired); sub-specialty training
Housing: Housing is provided.
Companions: Suitable for companion/spouse; not suitable for children
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.
Teaching Topics: Orthopaedics – all topics; hand & knee arthroscopy, muscle flaps & soft tissue coverage and spine surgery of particular interest
Opportunities for Those-in-Training: Final year residents accepted if paired with an appropriate preceptor.
Qualifications: Board eligible/certified; current license to practice; retired volunteers may not need a current license
Housing: Housing provided for a reasonable fee.
Companions: Suitable for companion/spouse; not suitable for children
Yangon, Myanmar – Yangon General Hospital and Yangon Orthopaedic Hospital
Volunteers are needed to review, revise, and support the orthopaedic residency program, and to provide sub-specialty training for the general orthopaedic surgeons in trauma, infection control, pediatrics, hand surgery, spine surgery, orthopaedic oncology, arthroplasty, arthroscopic and sports surgery, and external fixators.
Teaching Topics: Orthopaedics – all topics; trauma, infection control, pediatric orthopaedics, hand surgery, spine surgery, orthopaedic oncology, arthroplasty, arthroscopy, sports medicine, and external fixators of particular interest
Opportunities for Those-in-Training: No
Qualifications: Board eligible/certified; current license to practice (active or retired)
Housing: Housing provided for a reasonable fee.
Companions: Suitable for companion/spouse; suitable for children
Managua, Nicaragua – Hospital Antonio Lenin Fonseca, Hospital Escuela Roberto Caldern, Hospital Militar and Hospital Fernando Velez Paiz
Please note: HVO is not currently placing volunteers at this project.
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.
Teaching Topics: Orthopaedics – all topics
Opportunities for Those-in-Training: Final year residents accepted with an appropriate preceptor.
Qualifications: Board eligible/certified; current license to practice; minimum of 3 years experience
Housing: Volunteer responsible for housing; assistance and information on nearby facilities provided.
Companions: Suitable for companion/spouse; suitable for children
Manila, Philippines – Philippine General Hospital (PGH)
HVO volunteers will increase orthopaedic knowledge and skills of the staff, residents and medical students at PGH.
Teaching Topics: Orthopaedics – all topics; arthroscopy, arthroplasty, hand surgery and trauma of particular interest
Opportunities for Those-in-Training: No
Qualifications: Board eligible/certified; current license to practice (active or retired)
Housing: Volunteer responsible for housing; assistance and information on nearby facilities provided.
Companions: Suitable for companion/spouse; suitable for children
Vieux Fort, St. Lucia – St. Jude Hospital
Volunteers provide basic orthopaedic care. The work schedule involves surgical clinics and planned operative cases. Though St. Lucia is primarily a service site, teaching opportunities are available for volunteers at weekly staff meetings.In addition, a curriculum is in the process of being developed for the instruction of a mid-level house officer, triage nurses, and clinic physicians; volunteers are encouraged to participate in this on-going project.
Teaching Topics: Orthopaedics – all topics
Opportunities for Those-in-Training: No
Qualifications: Board eligible/certified; current license to practice (active or retired); minimum of 3 years experience
Housing: Volunteer responsible for housing; information on nearby facilities provided.
Companions: Suitable for companion/spouse; suitable for children
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.
Teaching Topics: Orthopaedics – all topics; hand surgery, foot & ankle surgery, spine surgery, orthopaedic oncology, osteomyelitis, arthroplasty, and arthroscopy of particular interest
Opportunities for Those-in-Training: Final year residents accepted with an appropriate preceptor.
Qualifications: Current license to practice (active or retired)
Housing: Housing provided for a reasonable fee.
Companions: Suitable for companion/spouse; suitable for children
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.
Teaching Topics: Orthopaedics – all topics; spine surgery, hand surgery, reconstructive surgery, and pediatric orthopaedics of particular interest
Opportunities for Those-in-Training: Final year residents accepted with an appropriate preceptor.
Qualifications: Board eligible/certified; current license to practice (active or retired); minimum of 1 year experience
Activities: Clinical training, continuing education, didactic instruction, faculty/staff training, formal lecturing, grand rounds, mentoring
Housing: Housing provided for a reasonable fee.
Companions: Suitable for companion/spouse; suitable for children
