CHICAGO – Want to learn more about liposuction in Indonesia? Want to teach your cryosurgery technique to dermatologists in Greece? Want to help physicians in the Philippines perform fat transfer?
You can. Dermatologic surgeons in the United States now have more opportunities to travel, teach, and learn surgical techniques from colleagues in other countries, thanks to a unique collaboration that expands the International Mentorship Program and the International Preceptorship Program.
Earlier this year, Dr. Lawrence M. Field, traveling chair of the International Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ISDS) International Mentorship Program, donated $100,000 to the American Society for Dermatologic Surgeons (ASDS) to establish the Lawrence M. Field MD International Dermatologic Surgery Educational Exchange Fund.
"Dr. Field's donation will allow us to have two preceptorships, a fellowship here in the U.S. and [another] for what Dr. Field has been doing sending fellows to other countries," Dr. Jeffrey S. Dover, ASDS president, said at their annual meeting where the collaboration was announced.
Dr. Field is a "dermatologic surgeon, teacher, and benefactor. He has taught mostly hands-on in more than 60 countries," added ISDS president Dr. Gary J. Brauner.
The ISDS has run the mentorship program since 1986. Additional staffing and other resources provided by the ASDS will significantly expand its reach, said Dr. Field, who is in private practice in San Luis Obispo, Calif.
Photo courtesy Dr. Lawrence M. Field
A patient in the Philippines shown before surgery.
According to Dr. Field, the program has about 70 mentors from 19 nations.* The program continues to expand and is actively seeking host institutions around the world to work with the faculty. The ASDS/ISDS program is for established dermatologic surgeons and not residents.
Special language skills are a plus but not mandatory, Dr. Field said. In addition, there are no ethnic, cultural, religious or any other exclusions, only mutual acceptability is required.
The ASDS/ISDS program pays the airfare. All mentors, including Dr. Field, offer their expertise free of charge. "Pick me up at the airport; take me to a reasonably nice place; provide me with food, clothing, and shelter; licensure; and surgical scrubs," Dr. Field said, describing his requests to a host institution when he travels. In exchange, "I will give you everything I can ... from me to you, for nothing. Then take me back to the airport, I'll go home, and I'll remember these things forever."
A week commitment is the minimum, Dr. Field said. "You gain knowledge, experience, enjoyment, and the respect of your peers."
Photo courtesy Dr. Lawrence M. Field
The same patient is shown undergoing surgery.
In his nearly 25 years as a traveling mentor, Dr. Field has taught and learned about scar revision in the Philippines, cryosurgery in Heraklion, Greece, and fat transfer in Saudi Arabia.** As a consultant to the DermaClinic, Dr. Field shared his expertise to transfer fat from a patient's abdomen to treat her facial atrophy.
Dr. Field praised the accomplishments of the many dermatologic surgeons who participated as ISDS international mentors. For example, Dr. John Strasswimmer, a dermatologic surgeon in Delray Beach, Fla. has treated albino patients in Africa. "Many great things will happen from that," Dr. Field said.
Another mentor, Dr. Rhoda Narins, worked with Dr. Indah Julianto to get permission from the Minister of Health in Indonesia to perform liposuction. "This program is just forming in Jakarta, Indonesia, so some of you might go there," Dr. Field said.
Dr. Field spent 31 years as a preceptor in his private office for dermatologic surgery fellows at University of California, San Francisco. During this time, he also
Photo courtesy Dr. Lawrence M. Field
The patient is shown 5 months postop.
hosted international surgeons who, unlike the U.S. physicians, could not participate in hands-on training because of licensure requirements. This disparity led to the genesis of the international mentorship program.
The deadline for the first round of applications is Dec. 15, 2010. To apply or find out more, visit www.asds.net/InternationalEd/.
Dr. Field said that he has no relevant disclosures.
*CORRECTION 1/10/11: The article originally stated that the program had 29 U.S. dermatologic mentors and the program is active in 18 countries. The statement was corrected to: 70 mentors from 19 countries.
**CORRECTION 1/10/11: The article originally stated that Dr. Field has taught and learned about...fat transfer in Iran. That statement was revised to state: fat transfer in Saudi Arabia.