As surgeons and academics we are professionally trained to ask the right questions and to build upon our answers.

 

10 years ago while contemplating the rising global burden of orthopaedic injuries, a group of impassioned health professionals asked themselves the question: “What more can we do?”

 

It is this very question that built the IGOT community. The common thread that unites us all. Our network of IGOT Faculty, global surgeons, leaders from regional health centers of excellence, and ideological research fellows continues to grow with us all collectively dedicated to answering that question.

 

The desire to continually find better answers to that question transformed our organization from a small group responding to the needs of our friends in developing countries into an expansive network of global leaders in orthopaedic health. By carefully listening to our partners and constantly building upon each answer, our programs evolved from short-term international exchanges into impactful, sustainable, in-country surgical training programs and research projects.

 

That spirit of partnership with motivated international orthopaedic leaders carries us into the next 10 years of IGOT. With no established pathways and very limited resources, we’ve seen learned techniques save thousands of limbs, research papers profoundly improve standards of care and IGOT surgical training attendees grow into global leaders in medicine. Now with a network that spans over 30 countries and crucial financial support from generous supporters like the Wyss Foundation, we are extremely excited to ask ourselves “what more can we do?” in the next 10 years.

OUR PEOPLE

The people and the relationships are the life blood of IGOT’s work. Here’s what our IGOT community sees looking forward:
  • IGOT Global Exchange Partner – Nicaragua

    "For the next 10 years of IGOT I think the goal stays the same. I always think that the goal is teaching. Because if you can teach and learn, you can find your own ways to resolve problems."

    Dr Dino Aguilar, MD

  • Director of the UCSF/SFGH Orthopaedic Trauma Institute

    "The beauty of IGOT and the future of IGOT is developing these networks where surgeons and individuals who want to contribute, can contribute in a very positive and sustainable way."

    Theodore Miclau III, M.D.

  • IGOT Co-Director of Global Research

    "Over the next 10 years I would like to see IGOT increase its global footprint, continuing to find and partner with the people who are passionate about the things we are passionate about. "

    Dr. Saam Morshed MD, PhD

  • SMART Course Partner – Nepal

    "IGOT has given us the opportunity to train our surgeons with the same skills as US Surgeons. 10 years down the road I see IGOT helping to give all patients the same opportunity to heal from their wounds as patients in a developed country."

    Dr. Rishi Bisht

  • IGOT Research & SMART Course Partner – Tanzania

    "In the next 10 years, I will be happy if we have more publications because we have so many patients and we need to tell the world that road traffic injuries are a new epidemic. With research over 10 years we can reduce the amount of injuries and disabilities."

    Dr. Edmund Eliezer

  • IGOT Morgan & Madison McClellan International Research Fellow

    "The biggest thing I've learned during my fellowship is the importance of relationships. Only through meeting surgeons and patients on the ground can we ask the right questions to change the way orthopaedic trauma can be practiced."

    Hao-Hua Wu, 4th-year medical student at the University of Pennsylvania

  • IGOT Executive Director

    "IGOT's partners continue to redefine what is possible. To see a SMART Course attendee grow from a junior resident into winning the best paper award at the Annual Orthopaedic Trauma Association Meeting in a span of a few short years is truly impressive. I am excited to see what the next 10 years brings and how far we can exceed expectations together."

    Amber Caldwell, MSc

  • Co-Director of Global Research

    "In 10 years I think that when orthopaedic surgeons in Nepal, Tanzania or Ghana run into a challenge and they are not sure what do for their patient, they will look at research developed through IGOT's partnerships. I think that governments in these same countries when they are struggling on how to allocate funding to their health programs, they will look at research developed through IGOT's partnerships."

    Dave Shearer MD, MPH

OUR PROGRAMS

SMART Course

PROGRAM:
IGOT’S International SMART Course (Surgical Management and Reconstructive Training) is locally-driven, sustainable surgical training program teaching highly relevant, limb-saving techniques to surgeons in the developing world. Hosted in-country, the course delivers a hands-on curriculum to hundreds of local surgeons developing skills to be passed from generation to generation.

 

IMPACT SO FAR:

  • 600+ –  600 surgeons & counting trained in limb-saving techniques
  •  93% – Success rate in surgery preventing amputation
  • 11,160+ – Amputations prevented by course attendees

 

TRAJECTORY:

The SMART Course is part of IGOT’s Annual International Summit held since 2010 in San Francisco. Since 2014 IGOT has taken the SMART Course abroad and co-hosted the course with our partners in Tanzania. The in-country model reaches twice as many surgeons for a fraction of the expenses. This November, IGOT will bring the SMART Course to Nepal. Moving forward, IGOT will continue to expand the in-country SMART Course to more partners across the globe.

IGOT International Summit

PROGRAM:
The International Summit includes three courses and is held annually since 2010 in San Francisco at the UCSF SFGH Orthopaedic Trauma Institute. The Summit attracts international orthopaedic surgeons and regional providers across multiple surgical subspecialties from UCSF, Stanford, St, Mary’s, Kaiser, UC Davis and USC. Faculty include experts in plastic reconstructive surgery, orthopaedics, vascular, podiatry and clinical research from UCSF and USC. The Summit is FREE for residents and international attendees and is the flagship of IGOT’s Global Surgical Education Initiative.

 

IMPACT SO FAR:

  • Since inception The Summit has reached 700+ providers who treat limb threatening trauma and disease
  • The Summit is a center for regional education to gain expertise in limb salvage
  • Each year the course attracts new attendees and expands it’s reach due to offering advanced topics and expert Faculty
  • The “Disruptive Innovations Panel” combines engineers and attendees to help solve some of the most pressing needs and has resulted in sparking entrepreneurship spirit and change in the products and equipment available to providers

 

TRAJECTORY:

After six years, the annual IGOT International Summit continues to evolve in response to feedback from our international partners. The program started with a one-day skills course and now spans 4 days featuring symposiums on conducting clinical research and limb saving wound management as well as providing a cadaver-based surgical technique training.

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Bay Area Global Health Film Festival

PROGRAM:
The Bay Area Global Health Film Festival is an annual event dedicated to raising awareness around critical global health issues. Combining film, panel discussions, and community engagement, IGOT unites Bay Area community organizations to inspire advocacy.

 

IMPACT SO FAR:

Each year hundreds of engaged Bay Area residents come together with community organizations building advocacy around critical global health issues impacting lives both locally and globally. Through the event, IGOT & its local partners promote volunteerism, policy action, donations and more.

 

TRAJECTORY:

After taking on the important topics of road traffic safety & rehabilitation, the festival enters its 4th year increasing awareness  on the current challenges of mental health impacting us on a local and global scale.

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IGOT Online Surgical Education Portal

PROGRAM:
The IGOT Portal is an online platform for surgical education that is a free, easily accessible, self-paced supplement to the content of the SMART Course as well as a portal providing access to those who are unable to attend a course. It strives to leverage our expert network of faculty and partner institutions to crowdsource solutions to surgical cases and meet the needs of orthopaedic surgeons in developing countries.

 

TRAJECTORY:

The IGOT Portal launched late 2015 with a long-term vision to connect surgeons from all over the globe, developing quality training modules and providing an expansive support network of colleagues.

IGOT Global Scholars Program

PROGRAM:
IGOT, in collaboration with the Orthopaedic Trauma Institute offers 1 month observership opportunities for global leaders in orthopaedics. The Global Scholars Program offers a unique experience for those interested to work along side our colleagues at the Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital.

 

IMPACT SO FAR:

IGOT has supported over 60 scholars, representing over 20 countries since 2006. 

 

TRAJECTORY:

A long term goal is to establish an International House where our Global Scholars can be housed during their observerships while visiting San Francisco.

Orthopaedic-Research-International-Fellowship

The Morgan & Madison McClellan
International Research Fellowship

PROGRAM:
Thanks to the generous support of Dr. Trigg McClellan IGOT offers a 1 – year Research Fellowship for third and fourth year medical students interested in orthopaedic surgery and global health. The Morgan and Madison McClellan International Research Fellowship is a unique opportunity for a future global health leader to work alongside IGOT’s colleagues and partners to help answer local, relevant and impactful clinical questions.

 

IMPACT SO FAR:

  • Past Fellows have graduated from the program to go on to clinical residency programs in orthopaedics at the University of Utah & the University of Illinois
  • Pivotal research from work supported by Fellows has resulted in over 75+ publications in leading international orthopaedic journals

 

TRAJECTORY:

The goals of the program are to offer the preeminent opportunity for future global leaders in orthopaedics and further establish the legitimacy of pursuing this field within academic medicine.

OUR POTENTIAL

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We at IGOT feel extreme proud of and grateful for the community we’ve seen grow in the past 10 years. Together we’ve produced a sustainable, international surgical training, award-winning research projects and more. Ultimately saving thousands from a lifetime of disability. However, there is still much work to do. Tens of millions of lives are at risk each year and global orthopaedics remains woefully underfunded. The need for knowledge, advocacy, and investment in orthopaedic healthcare is greater than ever. 

 

In the world of surgical trauma, the traditional answer of organizations providing direct aid to patients is ineffective and unsustainable.  The only way to change the trajectory of this issue lies in education. Investing in education makes a difference that not only impacts the patients that are served immediately, but impacts the next generation of surgeons, the next generation of a population, and the next generation of the developing world.

 

IGOT represents this investment in education. For the next 10 years of IGOT, we will continue to develop existing in-country leaders and institutions, strive to democratize surgical education, and deliver impactful research & training programs to specifically address the challenges of each country we serve.  Please support us in building healthier futures. Please give the gift of education by investing in IGOT today.