International Fellowship Program

The ConnectMed International Fellowship is a research-based experience with opportunities for hands-on clinical training, open to surgeons native to and practicing in resource-limited communities.  The Fellowship includes online and in-person components.  CMI Fellows engage in an approved research project with the support of a virtual academic team, and may participate in educational/training opportunities in the US and/or at our at international partner sites, based on their stated interests.

Requirements:

All applicants must

  • Be plastic surgeons or surgeons in related fields from resource-limited countries.

  • Propose and conduct research related to capacity-building research in their home communities.

Please provide a Letter of Intent, not to exceed one page, that:

  • describes the reasons you wish to become a CMI International Fellow, the patient population you primarily serve, and how the experience will impact your professional development and patients;

  • briefly summarizes your proposed research project and describes the impact the research and fellowship would have on the delivery of surgical care in your home community.  You may find it helpful to consult your country’s WHO National Surgical, Obstetric and Anesthesia Plan for inspiration on your country’s goals for growing capacity in reconstructive surgery.

Timeline:

  • Submit a Letter of Intent to Rita Albert at ralbert@connectmed.org by Friday, April 14.

  • If the Fellowship Committee decides your submission merits further consideration, you will be invited to receive the International Fellowship Application.

  • Applications must be completed by Monday, May 1. 

  • Decisions are made by Monday, May 15.

Fellowship would commence on or after July 1, 2023.  Research may last up to and beyond one year; in person opportunities may last from 2-6 months, depending on the schedules of the Fellow and the training sites

2021 International Fellow - Dr. Tingadini Nyoni

Dr. Nyoni is a plastic surgeon from Harare, Zimbabwe and is currently working at one of only two hospitals in Zimbabwe that provides plastic surgery care. Being 1 of the 3 practicing plastic surgeons in a country of 15 million people, Dr. Nyoni is passionate and dedicated to serving her community. As ConnectMed’s International Fellow, she is most excited to have the opportunity to conduct research pertaining to facial trauma and burns and looks forward to training with our team of surgeons.

2020 International Fellow - Dr. Bereket Atnafu

ConnectMed’s 2020 International Fellow is Dr. Bereket Atnafu from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Dr. Atnafu is a plastic and reconstructive surgeon at St. Paul Millennium College Hospital, where he works with many patients with hand injuries from traumas and industrial accidents. Through the Fellowship, he will acquire more training and engage in research in the area of hand reconstruction – specifically in replantation techniques as surgical alternatives to amputation.

Dr. Atnafu receives mentorship and access to online educational materials from Baylor College of Medicine Division of Plastic Surgery, UC San Diego Medical School Division of Plastic Surgery, and from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons as a Global Learner in SHARE (Surgeons in Humanitarian Alliance for Reconstructive Research and Education), a program from The Plastic Surgery Foundation.

Previous International Fellows:

Dr. Wone Banda, from Lilongwe, Malawi.  Dr. Banda is the first natively trained plastic surgeon from Malawi, and currently works at Kamuzu Central Hospital in Lilongwe where most of her work focuses on burn care.  She is 1 of 4 plastic surgeons in the country, trying to meet the surgical needs of a population close to 18,000,000. She has partnered with ConnectMed since 2014, when we worked with her during a surgical outreach trip, and she advises on effective strategies for global surgical collaboration.

Dr. Le Hong Phuc, from Hue, Vietnam.  Dr. Phuc is a surgeon at our partner site, Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy.  He and his colleagues launched Hue University’s Division of Plastic Surgery following his CMI Fellowship to train others and expand research opportunities.

Dr. Mohammad “Ryan” Ramadan, from Jakarta, Indonesia.  Dr. Ramadan is a reconstructive microsurgeon at the Division of Plastic Surgery at Ciptomangunkusumo Hospital, Faculty of Medicine Unversitas Indonesia.  In addition to honing his microsurgical skills during his Fellowship, he started conducting research on the efficacy of low-tech models for microsurgical training.