One of the best kept secrets in Caribbean Medical Schools | Trinity School of Medicine | world pediatric project

For the past decade and a half, The World Pediatric Project (WPP), has been conducting general and specialized surgical missions to St. Vincent.  For the very first time, there was a visit explicitly to perform craniofacial procedures for Eastern Caribbean pediatric patients in need.

The new team was lead by pediatric plastic and craniofacial surgeon Dr. Jennifer Rhodes of the Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU.  She was supported by anesthesiologist Dr. Seamus Dore, plastic surgeon Dr. Franklin Lew, and OR nurse Molly McCabe.  The team’s focus was to evaluate and provide care for children with complex head and facial anomalies, and to follow up cases of children seen by previous surgical teams.  Joining them in triage, prep, OR, and recovery, were Trinity 5th term students.

Earlier this month, the World Pediatric Project (WPP) held its first mission for 2019 in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.  Its focus was on general pediatric surgery with Dr. Jeffrey Lukish, pediatric surgeon from Children’s National Hospital in Washington DC as team leader. 

For the unaware, the WPP offers surgical and diagnostic care to children in the Eastern Caribbean and has been actively working in St. Vincent and the Grenadines since 2002. Trinity School of Medicine students are frequently in the mix with them in a volunteer/learning capacity. This mission was no different, with Trinity students taking part, re-dedicating the school to clinical education and community service.  The busy visit was a productive one. On consultation day alone, forty-one local children, and an additional fifteen from neighboring islands, were seen by Trinity students and the visiting team of surgeons. 

Last week, we talked about Integrated Clinical and Community Medicine (ICCM) at Trinity.  We hinted towards the end of that piece that our approach to early, in-depth clinical training during basic sciences culminates in the 5th term.

Today, we're going to explore that and dig into the benefits of more time and responsibility in the hospital, working with the World Pediatric Project, and the final push towards a great score on the USMLE Step-1 exam before heading to clinical clerkships in Baltimore, MD. 

Trinity's Society of Medicine and Surgery  (SMS) a has donated a sum of money to the World Pediatric Project (WPP) late last week. Trinity student and SMS president David Hobby presented the check to  Lauren McIntosh, executive director for the Eastern Caribbean of the World Pediatric Project at the Trinity campus in the presence of Dean Adkison and other members of the SMS leadership team.  President Hobby explained the purpose and inspiration of the donation. “Over the past few weeks, we have been wanting to give back to the WPP,” he said, “With the close relationship between Trinity and the WPP, we get to assist them on their mission trips and engage in other learning activities when they’re here. The WPP does a great number of surgeries on pediatric cases throughout the region and they are extremely effective in changing lives for many people.  It made sense to give back to the organization that is giving us a lot of advanced access and experience while also supporting the local population.” 

 The second World Pediatric Project scoliosis mission for 2017 took place last week at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital in Kingstown and, as is typically the case, Trinity students were right there with the visiting team. Over sixty children were seen, nine of which ultimately had complex surgical procedures performed by the visiting team comprised of pediatric orthopedic surgeon Dr. Robert Tuten; Dr. Mike Estes, pediatric anesthesiologist; Dr. Joanna Horstmann, pediatric orthopedic surgeon; Erin Rose, neurophysiologist; Cathy Rosenbaum and Mary 'Debbie' Walton, both OR nurses. 

Trinity students were on hand for eight spinal fusions and a hard ring adjustment from a prior procedure. Five of the families were flown in on a private charter from hurricane ravaged Dominica to the stability and care of St. Vincent. 

The World Pediatric Project's (WPP) 10th visit to St. Vincent of 2017 turned out to be incredibly busy for the volunteers and, as is often the case, Trinity students were right there with them. 

While the World Pediatric Project typically holds an annual scoliosis clinic in St. Vincent in November, during the last visit, the number of cases proved to be overwhelming for the available time.  As a result, an additional surgical scoliosis clinic was scheduled for early Summer 2017. As always, a team of students from Trinity School of Medicine joined the visiting physicians to learn and assist.

The World Pediatric Project conducted another mission to St. Vincent & the Grenadines and Trinity students were, once again, at bedside with the visiting specialists.  This third visit of 2017 was focused on cardiology and headed by pediatric cardiologist, Dr. William Moskowitz. The trip culminated in the consultation and treatment of 178 children with congenital defects and rheumatic heart disease.

In the first week of March, the World Pediatric Project returned to St. Vincent, this time for an ophthalmology clinic. The WPP trip, the third for 2017 thus far, brought another group of the NGO's seasoned specialists to the island nation's Milton Cato Memorial Hospital. As is usually the case, a group of Trinity's 5th term students were there to assist, observe, and learn.