The Institute for Global Orthopedics and Traumatology: A Model for Academic Collaboration in Orthopedic Surgery

Abstract

In 2006, surgeons at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) established the Institute for Global Orthopedics and Traumatology (IGOT), an initiative within the department of orthopedic surgery. The principal aim of IGOT is to create long-term, sustainable solutions to the growing burden of musculoskeletal injury in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) through academic partnership. IGOT currently has relationships with teaching hospitals in Ghana, Malawi, Tanzania, Nicaragua, and Nepal. The organizational structure of IGOT is built on four pillars: Global Surgical Education (GSE), Global Knowledge Exchange (GKE), Global Research Initiative (GRI), and Global Leadership and Advocacy. GSE focuses on increasing surgical knowledge and technical proficiency through hands-on educational courses. The GKE facilitates the mutual exchange of surgeons and trainees among IGOT and its partners. This includes a global resident elective that allows UCSF residents to complete an international rotation at one of IGOT’s partner sites. The GRI strives to build research capacity and sponsor high-quality clinical research projects that address questions relevant to local partners. The fourth pillar, Global Leadership and Advocacy aims to increase awareness of the global impact of musculoskeletal injury through national and international courses and events, such as the Bay Area Global Health Film Festival. At the core of each tenet is the collaboration among IGOT and its international partners. Over the last decade, IGOT has experienced tremendous growth and maturation in its partnership model based on cumulative experience and the needs of its partners.

Pediatric Trauma Care in Low Resource Settings: Challenges, Opportunities, and Solutions

“…External fixation and wound care for open fractures, and open reduction and internal fixation in selected cases may be required. In HICs, interdisciplinary management decisions are made by orthopedic surgeons in collaboration with plastic, vascular, trauma, and general surgeons as well as physiotherapists and occupational therapists ( 71 ). However, in many LMICs, it is difficult for most patients to access this interdisciplinary care.…”

Clinical Observership Opportunities in North America for International Orthopaedic Surgeons

“…The person has to come on a slightly regular basis, maybe once a year" 45 . Strong models of longitudinal partnerships in the orthopaedic literature [46][47][48][49] are considerate of LMIC capacity, including adequate surgical volume and faculty supervision to support visiting residents, and to ensure that residents operate within their training level 46,47,50,51 . These models rely on ongoing interest and investment of both LMIC and HIC orthopaedic faculty, and designated LMIC and HIC program director responsible for ongoing management 46,47,50,51 .…”

Availability of global health opportunities in North American Paediatric Orthopaedic Fellowship Programmes

“…Perhaps the best example of a mutually beneficial global partnership is the Institute for Global Orthopaedics and Traumatology (IGOT) at the University of California at San Francisco (UCSF). 2 With five established partnerships with international teaching hospitals, this orthopaedic department is at the forefront of orthopaedic global outreach among US training programmes. 2 In the general surgery literature, various institutions have detailed their journeys in establishing IHEs.…”

“…2 With five established partnerships with international teaching hospitals, this orthopaedic department is at the forefront of orthopaedic global outreach among US training programmes. 2 In the general surgery literature, various institutions have detailed their journeys in establishing IHEs. Hoehn et al described the initial efforts of the University of Cincinnati including identification of potential sites, site scouting visits, and ultimately a pilot month once a site was chosen.…”

“…HVO has orthopaedic volunteering opportunities in diverse locations, and has been used by UCSF to facilitate its multiple global partnerships. 2,15,17 Specific to paediatric orthopaedics, the committee on Children’s Orthopaedics in Underserved Regions (COUR) within POSNA has the specific goal of monitoring and cataloging outreach missions by POSNA member surgeons. This committee could be a valuable resource for paediatric orthopaedic fellowship programmes looking to establish international partnerships.…”