abstract: 'Background: There is substantial disparity in access to surgical care

  worldwide that largely impacts children in resource-limited

  environments. Although it has been suggested that surgeons in

  high-income countries work alongside their overseas peers to bridge this

  gap, there is limited information regarding the impact of pediatric

  orthopaedic observerships that are available to international surgeons.

  This study aimed to assess the perceived impact of such visitations on

  overseas surgeons, including their professional development and clinical

  practice. Methods: A survey was distributed to overseas surgeons who

  participated in a pediatric orthopaedic observership in North America in

  the years 2009 to 2019. Details were collected regarding each

  respondent''s demographics and observership program, and the impact of

  this short-term clinical experience as perceived by the visiting

  surgeon. Results: Of the 181 international surgeons from 56 countries

  who participated in a pediatric orthopaedic observership, most were

  young male surgeons residing in a middle-income nation. The majority of

  surgeons observed in outpatient clinics (98\%) and in the operating room

  (96\%) and attended educational in-house conferences (92\%). Most

  observers (75\%) acknowledged gaining relevant orthopaedic knowledge and

  clinical skills that improved local patient care, and nearly all (99\%)

  shared the newly acquired knowledge with their peers and trainees. Most

  (97\%) were still living and working in the country that had been their

  residence at the time of their observership. No noteworthy trends were

  identified between the income classification of the surgeons'' country of

  residence and their ability to incorporate the acquired skills into

  their practice. Conclusions: Participating in a North American pediatric

  orthopaedic observership has a positive perceived impact on the majority

  of visiting surgeons, with potential gains in clinical skills and

  knowledge that likely benefit their patients, peers, and trainees. Such

  participation does not contribute to substantial brain drain and may

  assist with local capacity building. Identifying ways to increase access

  to such educational opportunities, particularly for surgeons from

  lower-income countries, should be explored further.'
affiliation: 'Sabharwal, S (Corresponding Author), UCSF Benioff Childrens Hosp Oakland,
  Oakland, CA 94609 USA.

  Sabharwal, S (Corresponding Author), Univ Calif San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
  94143 USA.

  Carrillo, Laura A.; Sabharwal, Sanjeev, UCSF Benioff Childrens Hosp Oakland, Oakland,
  CA 94609 USA.

  Carrillo, Laura A., Med Coll Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226 USA.

  Sabharwal, Sanjeev, Univ Calif San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143 USA.'
author: Carrillo, Laura A. and Sabharwal, Sanjeev
author-email: Sanjeev.Sabharwal@ucsf.edu
author_list:
- family: Carrillo
  given: Laura A.
- family: Sabharwal
  given: Sanjeev
da: '2023-09-28'
doi: 10.2106/JBJS.20.01464
eissn: 1535-1386
files: []
issn: 0021-9355
journal: JOURNAL OF BONE AND JOINT SURGERY-AMERICAN VOLUME
keywords-plus: 'MIDDLE-INCOME COUNTRIES; EDUCATION; OPPORTUNITIES; CHALLENGES; BURDEN;

  COUR'
language: English
month: APR 7
number: '7'
number-of-cited-references: '31'
orcid-numbers: Carrillo, Laura/0000-0003-1469-3269
papis_id: 3bcc67ac60c8a38c9ce6dae7b6c81e6c
ref: Carrillo2021pediatricorthopaedic
times-cited: '2'
title: Pediatric Orthopaedic Observerships in North America for International Surgeons
  The Visitor's Perspective
type: article
unique-id: WOS:000656630300001
usage-count-last-180-days: '0'
usage-count-since-2013: '0'
volume: '103'
web-of-science-categories: Orthopedics; Surgery
year: '2021'