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. 2022 May 18;104(10):e44.
doi: 10.2106/JBJS.21.00948. Epub 2021 Dec 21.

International Orthopaedic Volunteer Opportunities in Low and Middle-Income Countries

Theodore Miclau  1 , Madeline C MacKechnie  1 , Christopher T Born  2 , Michael A MacKechnie  3 , George S M Dyer  4 , Brandon J Yuan  5 , John Dawson  6 , Cassandra Lee  7 , Chad R Ishmael  8 , Verena M Schreiber  9 , Nirmal C Tejwani  10 , Todd Ulmer  11 , David W Shearer  1 , Kiran J Agarwal-Harding  12 , Herman Johal  13 , Sariah Khormaee  14 , Sheila Sprague  15 , Paul S Whiting  16 , Heather J Roberts  1 , Richard Coughlin  1 , Rich Gosselin  1 , Melvin P Rosenwasser  17 , Anthony Johnson  18 , Jacob M Babu  19 , Myles Dworkin  2 , Melvin C Makhni  4 , Trigg McClellan  1 , Chinenye O Nwachuku  20 , Elizabeth Miclau  1 , Saam Morshed  1
Affiliations

International Orthopaedic Volunteer Opportunities in Low and Middle-Income Countries

Theodore Miclau et al. J Bone Joint Surg Am. .

Abstract

Globally, the burden of musculoskeletal conditions continues to rise, disproportionately affecting low and middle-income countries (LMICs). The ability to meet these orthopaedic surgical care demands remains a challenge. To help address these issues, many orthopaedic surgeons seek opportunities to provide humanitarian assistance to the populations in need. While many global orthopaedic initiatives are well-intentioned and can offer short-term benefits to the local communities, it is essential to emphasize training and the integration of local surgeon-leaders. The commitment to developing educational and investigative capacity, as well as fostering sustainable, mutually beneficial partnerships in low-resource settings, is critical. To this end, global health organizations, such as the Consortium of Orthopaedic Academic Traumatologists (COACT), work to promote and ensure the lasting sustainability of musculoskeletal trauma care worldwide. This article describes global orthopaedic efforts that can effectively address musculoskeletal care through an examination of 5 domains: clinical care, clinical research, surgical education, disaster response, and advocacy.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure: The Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest forms are provided with the online version of the article (http://links.lww.com/JBJS/G840).

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