NIKI Academic Trip 2009

NIKI Educational Trip 2009 started on 26 April and finished on 5 May. Due to several invitations from smaller universities in Iran over the past years, the Board of Trustees of NIKI decided to focus 2009 NIKI trip on these universities. Three medical universities were selected, based on the local needs and potentials and extreme interest of their presidents and faculty. These universities included:

1. Kashan University of Medical Sciences
2. Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences
3. Zahedan University of Medical Sciences

In the first step, a committee from NIKI and the host universities performed a need assessment and identified the specialties we needed to consider.  A team of outstanding scientists and medical specialists were then invited by NIKI to attend the education trip. The NIKI trip 2009. 

Specialties

The specialties of the NIKI educational team included:

• Colorectal Surgery- Endoscopic Surgery
• Cardiac Surgery
• Plastic Surgery- Recontructive Surgery
• Neurosurgery- Onco-neurosurgery
• Podiatrics- Chronic Wounds/ Diebetic Foot Management
• Gastroentology- Endoscopy
• Psychiatry- Addiction Management
• Obestetrics/ Gynecology
• Cancer Surgery
• Medical Genetics
• Cancer Biology
• Hospice

Introduction and Conclusionary Meetings

The first programs at each host university was an introductory meeting with the presidents, officials, heads of hospitals, schools, research centers and departments to discuss the programs. A similar meeting was also held at the end of NIKI program at host universities to review the achievement and discuss the opportunities of future collaboration.

Selected Programs

Scientific Talks

In order to update the faculty, researcher and students of the host universities with the very latest practical and scientific findings in the field of medical science, all NIKI members gave general and specialized talks, depends on the audience.

A few lectures were also organized as part of procedure/program establishment scheme of NIKI.

Workshops and Training Programs

Diagnostic and Therapeutic ERCP Training

In order to establish ERCP service, a theoretical/ practical training course was held for a number of faculty gastroenterologists. The aim was to enable the gastroenterologists to perform ERCP, papilotomy, stone removal and stent placement. The workshop included treatment of several patients with CBD stones, SOD, pancreas and CBD cancer with blockage. Prof Farivar (Harvard Medical School) conducted the training sessions.

Establishment of Laparoscopic Surgery Program

Dr Asif Haq (King’s College London) ran a workshop on laparoscopic surgery for the faculty surgeons in order to start this program for the first time in the university.

Establishment of Reconstructive Surgery Program

Dr Pari-naz Mohanna (St Thomas’ Hospital, London) and Dr Asif Haq (King’s College London) conducted some training surgical operations in order to train the faculty surgeons of the host universities. The procedure of a abdominoperineal excision (APE) and bilateral inferior gluteal artery perforator flaps (IGAPs) reconstruction was the first to be performed in Iran and it generated a lot of interest with almost all faculty surgeons attendance in the operating room. It was televised to the lecture theatre and allowed the NIKI faculty members to take the trainees through the procedure step by step whilst fielding questions live.

Addiction Management Training

Dr Cyrus Abbasian (The Maudsley Hospital , Kings College London), gave comprehensive teacing lectures on Diamorphine substitution treatment for heroin addicts. He visited the addiction rehabilitation centers and discussed the differences between two systems of the UK and Iran.

Psychological Workshops

Dr Esmail Mahdavi (University of Massachusetts Boston) conducted a workshop for the supervisors, teachers and care-takers of the institutionalized children as well as for kindergarten supervisors in Isfahan and Kashan. The topic of the workshop was on how to handle the social and psychological issues of the institutionalized children. One hundred and fifty people attended this workshop on in Kashan. Mrs Massy Farivar and Dr Mohammad Farivar, of NIKI, are also in charge of organizing, sponsoring, banking and running some kids and teenagers houses for institutionalized children in different cities in Iran.

NIKI also held a one day seminar in Isfahan for the principals of a specific Department of Iran Welfare Organization who are dealing with disadvantaged children and adolescents. The same program was also held in Kermanshah by Dr Mahdavi.

Research Collaboration

The NIKI faculty and their counter parts at host universities in Iran thoroughly discussed the grounds for research collaboration. The suggested potential projects were later reviewed and finalized in meeting with the research officials of the universities were finalized. Genetic Study of Breast Cancer in Iranain Population is one of the examples that is currently undergoing.

Medical/ Surgical Instrument Donation

In line with the aims of NIKI to empower the medical universities in Iran to establish new programs, NIKI members donated some medical/ surgical instruments to different universities in Iran with the total value of $500K. 2009 OLYMPUS video 180 gastroscope, and colonoscope with a significant number of  accessories to Kashan (valued ~ $200K) and also an Olympus video 160 ERCP scope to Zahedan are only some examples.

Acknowledgment

We would like to thank the presidents, vice-presidents and officials of host universities in Iran especially; Dr Nikbakhat (the president), Dr Nikzad and Dr Hamidi (the vice-presidents) of Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Dr Salehi (the president), Dr Bahari (the vice-president) and Dr Chouban (head of president’s office) of Zahedan University of Medical Sciences and Dr Nourizad (the president) of Kemanshah University of Medical Sciences.

We would also like to thank all NIKI lecturers for their enthusiasm, expertise, and hard work. We hope that we can continue to assist in the development of Iranian Universities to be world-class medical institutions. NIKI Board of Trustees would like to thank the president of all universities who have kindly invited NIKI and we hope we can accept more invitations next year.

We also thank Mr Shahram Nazeri who kindly accepted NIKI invitation to join us and add cultural spice to the trip.

If we stand together, we will make even more development in science and medicine in Iran. We welcome all who want to have contribution to scientific development of Iran, you can simply contact us at: info{AT}theniki{DOT}net

Best regards;