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Courses: Spinal Anesthesia for Rural Doctors

Welcome

Welcome to the ASHWINI ADIVASI HOSPITAL / SEESHA / KARUNYA UNIVERSITY / HARVARD UNIVERSITY DUBAI CAMPUS / LANCET COMMISSION ON GLOBAL HEALTH / WHO online course on Spinal Anesthesia for rural doctors. This is a pilot project sponsored by the Harvard University Dubai campus and endorsed by Lancet Commission on Global Health and WHO. The Indian partners are the ASHWINI Adivasi Hospital at Gudalur and the SEESHA – KARUNYA UNIVERSITY in Coimbatore.

The aim is to empower and train the rural doctors in remote areas so they may safely administer spinal anesthesia to their surgery patients. The unique online and on-site training model does not disrupt the local work while the training is going on and could be combined with surgical camps of SEESHA.

The course preparation is by the team consisting of Dr. Michael Sekar from Coimbatore, Dr. Wesley Rajaseelan from Gudalur [both trained anesthesiologists trained from CMC Vellore] and edited by Dr. J. Gnanaraj. The project curriculum preparation and design is by a team consisting of Dr. Nandakumar Menon from Gudalur, Dr. Craig McLain from Harvard, Dr. Daniel Vo, Dr. Sulliavan Cornelius and Swagato M from Harvard University in addition to the preparation/editing team.

We would like to begin with sincerely thanking the organizations that are helping us.

1. mdCurrent-India: They are sponsoring and hosting the online course. We thank them for having a separate page for the rural surgery articles at http://mdcurrent.in/camps-and-rural-healthcare/ and publishing many of our articles.
2. LapGuru: LapGuru is an organization that transmits live surgery for those who would like to learn laparoscopic surgeries. You can register with LapGuru at lapguru.com and watch the gasless laparoscopy and other surgeries there. Free registration should suffice for watching the gasless laparoscopic surgeries there.
3. Ashwini Adivasi Hospital Gudalur: They are the principal investigators of the project. http://www.ashwini.org/hospital.php
4. Lancet commission on Global Health: They are the catalysts for getting this and other projects relevant to rural surgeons rolling. Dr. Nobhojit Roy one of the Lead commissioners for Lancet commission on global health initiated and is in-charge of the India Secretariat. http://www.lancetglobalsurgery.org/?sf21636646=1&sf21636646=1#!india/nag96

Instructions

1. Enroll in this course by clicking the button above the course list (you must be logged in to mdCurrent-India to enroll).
2. The first lesson is an overview and does not have the PPT and questions.
3. For each lesson, read the materials and PowerPoint.
4. Go through the materials suggested for further reading.
5. Write your comments and discussion in the mdCurrent web site below the article or notes, so that everyone can benefit.
6. You could watch either live or recorded surgeries in LapGuru when you have time. They are usually un-edited recordings. However, we are trying to add voice to the recording.
7. Copy the questions for each lesson to a Word or Excel file, answer them, and send them as an attachment to the following e-mail: drsunithababurao@gmail.com
8. Once you finish all the lessons, you could either choose to stop, or opt for hands-on training during the SEESHA/SSI surgical camps in Northeast India. You can telephone Mr. Ruban at 9500127275 or Mr. Bravin at 09840717024 to find out more about the surgical camps. They would be able to let you know about the costs involved and the places for sightseeing nearby.
9. If you would like a Karunya University / Harvard certificate, you could telephone Dr. Sunitha at 09840717025 or Dr. Nandakumar Menon to find out more details. You need to have a minimum of three hands-on training programs before being eligible for the certificate.
10. If you are in South India, you are welcome to the SEESHA Karunya Community Hospital or the Gudalur Adivasi Hospital for the contact program.
11. Overseas doctors can plan along with conferences of the Association of Rural Surgeons of India (ARSI) or other training.
12. The online course is free and certification from Karunya University is available for those who successfully meet the requirement but for the Joint Karunya University and Harvard University certification there is a selection process and the required numbers are already available for this year.