Surgeons visit from the Pacific Islands and Papua New Guinea
Interplast Australia and New Zealand recently partnered with the University of Tasmania’s School of Medicine Short Course Program to sponsor an Applied Plastic and Reconstructive Surgical Skills workshop for surgeons visiting from the Pacific Islands and Papua New Guinea.
The workshop, co-convened by Interplast volunteer plastic surgeons, Simon Thomson (Hobart) and Mike Klaassen (Auckland), brought nine surgeons from four Pacific Island countries (Fiji, Cook Islands, Vanuatu and Tonga) and Papua New Guinea to Australia for surgical training. Focusing specifically on practical surgery principles and concepts, which will be easily applied in their home countries, the training course intends to provide techniques that are also applicable across a number of other surgical specialities.
"For many years, Tasmania has been outstanding in providing plastic surgeons, anaesthetists and nurses to provide state of the art care in most, if not all third world countries in our region," said Simon Thomson, Interplast volunteer plastic surgeon.
"We now have the unique opportunity to bring the future surgeons of this region, many of whom have received training by us in their own countries, to Tasmania for advanced training in reconstructive techniques for the first time. This will enable a huge improvement in the health care of these nations with the hope that they will achieve surgical independence from countries like Australia and New Zealand."
An additional four Interplast plastic and reconstructive volunteer surgeons, Simon Donahoe (Melbourne), James Masson (Wagga), Frank Kimble (Hobart) and John Crock (Melbourne) will attend the workshop to assist in providing this training.
B. Braun generously donated sutures for this course. The UTAS School of Medicine in Hobart will host the workshop participants, who will use Medicine’s cutting-edge laboratory and teaching facilities to carry out their training.
For 30 years, Interplast has been sending plastic and reconstructive volunteers to the Pacific and Papua New Guinea to provide free surgical treatment to relieve disability and empower local medical staff through training. 356 program activities have been sent to this region since 1983, with more than 24,500 patients consulted and 13,600 procedures performed. Throughout these activities, dozens of local medical and nursing personnel have received training, mentoring and professional development opportunities through Interplast.
"Interplast is committed to ensuring basic surgery is available for generations to come by equipping the local medical staff to provide these services independently, as a result of our training programs. This workshop is an important step in achieving this," said CEO Prue Ingram.
The UTAS School of Medicine Short Course Program assists health professionals to meet their unique learning needs and professional development requirements through participation in a variety of practical, workplace-orientated short courses. Emphasis is placed on applied anatomy and clinical skills development with unique learning programs delivered by surgeons and anatomists in the university's state of the art laboratories. The Faculty of Health Science Body Bequest Program supports these learning opportunities and the generous donations from the public are gratefully acknowledged.