As I write this, it'll be only a week from today that the first group of IAO members will be departing for Vietnam. Three Chicago-area ophthalmologists will be teaching a two week phaco course. In the photo (from left to right), they are: James Katz, MD, who practices at Midwest Center for Sight in Des Plaines; Maria Rosselson, MD, of Chicago Cornea Consultants, Highland Park; and Chitra Nadimpalli, MD, of Wicker Park Eye Center, Chicago. Ronald C. May, MD (far right) of Ophthalmology Partners in Deerfield, is the IAO Project Vietnam director. Drs. Rosselson and Nadimpalli will share teaching duties the first week (October 6 - 10), and in the second week, Dr. Nadimpalli will be joined by Dr. Katz.
Our corporate partner, Alcon-Vietnam, has really come through to make the course happen. In addition to picking up nearly all of the costs (including our travel expenses), they are providing equipment, supplies and other materials. Meanwhile, the Vietnam National Institute of Ophthalmology is serving as host for the conference and is making their clinical and surgical facilities available. More later on all of the individuals who have worked hard to bring about this project.
This is no junket...each day will be packed. Typically, a lecture on a particular aspect of phacoemulsification surgery will be presented by one of the IAO members. That will be followed by a web lab and the next morning, 2-4 live surgery cases. The goal is for the students to have transitioned to phaco by the end of the course.
In about three months, we'll be sending another team of Illinois EyeMDs to Vietnam. They will travel to the provincial hospitals where the students practice to observe surgery and work with the Vietnamese ophthalmologists to refine their technique.
An opening ceremony is planned for Tuesday, October 7 with a press conference for local news media. I'll try to feed information back home, as well.
Standby for the next post. I'll write about "Jim's and Rich's Excellent Adventure to Quang Tri."
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