Publication Date
2011
Journal
The Texas Heart Journal
PMID
21841854
Publication Date(s)
2011
Language
English
PMCID
PMC3147215
PubMedCentral® Posted Date
2011
PubMedCentral® Full Text Version
Post-Print
Published Open-Access
yes
Keywords
Cardiac Surgical Procedures, Delivery of Health Care, Developing Countries, Education, Medical, Graduate, Foreign Medical Graduates, Health Services Needs and Demand, History, 20th Century, History, 21st Century, Humans, Program Development, Quality of Health Care, Syria, Thoracic Surgery, Workforce
Copyright
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Abstract
Herein, I describe my experience (spanning 40 years) in helping to develop the specialty of cardiovascular surgery in Syria. Especially in the early years, the challenges were daunting. We initially performed thoracic, vascular, and closed-heart operations while dealing with inadequate facilities, bureaucratic delays, and poorly qualified personnel. After our independent surgical center was established in early 1976, we performed 1 open-heart and 1 closed-heart procedure per day. Open-heart procedures evolved from the few and simple to the multiple and complex, and we solved difficulties as they arose. Today, our cardiac surgical center occupies an entire 6-floor building. We have 12 cardiac surgeons, 10 surgical residents, a formal 6-year surgical residency program, a pediatric cardiac unit, an annual caseload of 1,600, and plans to double our productivity in 2 years. The tribulations of establishing sophisticated surgical programs in a developing country are offset by the variety of clinicopathologic conditions that are encountered, and even more so by the psychological rewards of overcoming adversity and serving a population in need. This account may prove to be insightful for Western-trained physicians who seek to develop specialized medical care in emerging societies.