The trip was a great success and the experience was tremendous. 20 physicians and midwives were trained in the basic Ob/Gyn ultrasound exam and more than a 100 patients scanned during 3.5 days of training. Feedback from the trainees was positive and many by the end could perform a basic ultrasound examination and independently date a pregnancy, diagnose placenta previa, assess fetal presentation, recognize an ovarian mass and evaluate amniotic fluid which will help significantly in clinical practice. Pre and post test evaluations confirmed knowledge gained.
I have to thank Lisbet (Dr. Hanson) for her vision and dedication to Haiti; Terri (GE), who without blinking an eye, agreed to donate 10 ultrasound machines to this program and provided us with a superb team who assisted us tremendously in planning the educational program; Sarah Marsh, from PIH, for her tremendous leadership and organizatinal skills (the program would not have been possible without her); the local team, led by Maxi, Saintard and Jonas for great hospitality and for making us feel at home. Sharon who volunteered to go and gave up her vacation time, the physicians and midwives (yes we scanned all of them also!) of the central plateau region in Haiti for being great students and ISUOG for supporting this activity.
Alfred Abuhamad