The instructional value of international surgical volunteerism from a resident's perspective.
The aim of this article is to document the experience of the author who volunteered as a resident for 6 months at a districtlevel hospital in central Kenya. Peculiarities emerging from the report are: specificity of the experience to plastic reconstructive surgery; highly complex reconstructive procedures performed under direct supervision of a qualified mentor; exposure to diverse approaches through collaboration with different volunteer plastic surgeons; enhancement of long-term surveillance; and opportunity to expand surgical knowledge outside one's field of specialty. The humanitarian setting allows maximal exposure and learning and can play a significant role in the resident's education.
Plastic Surgery Residency Program Class of 2015, University of Padova, Padova, Italy; Department of Plastic and Maxillofacial Surgery, Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden.
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Tocco-Tussardi
Help for Life Foundation Onlus, Padova, Italy.
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Boccella
Clinic of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Neurosciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
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Bassetto
developing nation; education; international; plastic surgery; residency; volunteerism