Educational opportunities provided by the ICHF for foreign pediatric cardiac health care providers primarily occur during our mission trips abroad. However, a number of individuals have received extended training at our hospital affiliate sites in the US and South America. Providing education, training and experience the ICHF strives to create local teams in each of the countries we assist.
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The volunteer staff of the ICHF works side by side with our foreign colleagues in the operating room, the cardiac catheterization, echo-cardiology laboratories and in the intensive care unit. We believe that this direct method of providing education, training and experience is the most beneficial. Additionally, ICHF staff provides didactic lectures on each trip. The local team is encouraged to choose the topics in advance of our arrival. As of 2005, we have trained 300 ICU nurses and 200 doctors (perfusionists, anesthesiologists, intensivists, cardiologists and surgeons) in eleven countries.
A number of healthcare professionals have received educational scholarships for study aboard in the US or other sister sites.
[table style=”1″]
|
Year |
Number |
Countries |
|
1994 |
3 |
Croatian MDs to USA, 6 months |
|
1995 |
4 |
Ukrainian MDs and 3 Nurses to USA, 6 months |
|
1996 |
1 |
Ukrainian MD to USA, 6 months |
|
1997 |
4 |
Kazakh MDs and 3 Nurses to USA, 6 months |
|
1998 |
2 |
Byelorussian MDs to USA, 6 months |
|
1999 |
1 |
Bosnian MD and 1 Technician to USA, 3 months |
|
2000 |
1 |
Nepalese MD to USA, 6 months |
|
2001 |
1 |
Peruvian MD to USA, 6months |
|
2002 |
1 |
Nicaraguan MD to Peru, 6 months |
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Starting in 2000, we added another component to our educational program and invited Foreign Healthcare professionals previously trained by the ICHF on our mission trips. We have been able to expand their educational opportunities utilizing this unique program.
