This summer we announced our new RealSelf Fellowship to help fund trips for medical providers who deliver care and training in highly underserved communities worldwide.
Now we’re excited to present our first class of RealSelf Fellows, eight physicians dedicated to humanitarianism and bringing their knowledge of reconstructive surgical care and sustainable solutions to improve the overall quality of life in these locales.
Here are the RealSelf Fellowship recipients (in order of their trip’s departure date):
- Dr. Larry Nichter of Newport Beach, Calif., traveling to Havana, Cuba, with the Plasticos Foundation on Nov. 2, 2016.
- Dr. Joseph Gruss of Seattle, traveling to Hanoi, Vietnam, with ReSurge International on Dec. 12, 2016.
- Dr. Seth Thaller of Miami traveling to Port Au Prince, Haiti, with Project Medishare on Jan. 13, 2017.
- Dr. Kristin Stueber of Springfield, Mass., traveling to Guayaquil, Ecuador, with ReSurge International on Jan. 27, 2017.
- Dr. Patrick Byrne of Lutherville, Md., traveling to Managua and Chichigalpa, Nicaragua, with and The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Aproquen on Feb. 2, 2017.
- Dr. Andrew Wexler of Los Angeles traveling to Harare, Zimbabwe, with ReSurge International on Feb. 6, 2017.
- Dr. Virender Singhal of Kansas City, Mo., traveling to Managua, Nicaragua, with ReSurge International on March 27, 2017.
- Dr. Frank Agullo of El Paso, Texas, traveling to Puebla, Mexico, with Smile Network International on Nov. 3, 2017.
The impact of these trips will be far-reaching, primarily focused on providing reconstructive surgery free of charge for children and adults with traumatic injuries and correctable deformities. In addition, the teams will work to educate host-country doctors and medical staff to perform these complex procedures, as well as providing additional training in anesthesia, pediatrics, speech therapy, and nutrition.
The RealSelf Fellowship is an ongoing program open to physicians and surgical-care team members who will volunteer medical services or serve as volunteer educators to advance the skills of local doctors and staff. Fellowships can cover a wide range of needs, including hand surgery, burn reconstruction, microsurgery, and advanced cleft techniques, as well as anesthesia, nursing, orthodontics, and physical and hand therapy.
Giving back is at the heart of culture at RealSelf, and as we continue to grow, we are determined to find ways to use our scale for good, so our impact grows with us.
RealSelf evaluates applications twice per year. The next phase of applications for trips taking place after April 1 is open now, with a deadline of Feb. 1, 2017. Medical professionals interested in participating are invited to view eligibility requirements and complete the online application.