The North American Spine Society has launched the NASS-Sharma Traveling Spine Fellowship, which aims to attract two spine surgeons from developing nations to come to the U.S. for hands-on training.
The society announced the fellowship Nov. 11. Funding is provided by the Anil and Pragati Sharma Family Foundation, according to a news release shared with Becker’s.
To qualify, surgeons must live and practice in an economy that the World Bank classifies as low or lower-middle income. Each fellow will complete a 10-day experiential fellowship at an approved U.S. spine center.
Fellows will also receive individualized mentorship from Anil Sharma, MD, an anesthesiologist at Spine & Pain Centers of New Jersey and New York.
Dr. Sharma, a first-generation immigrant, said he is funding the fellowships through his foundation to support physicians from resource-limited countries who will return home to serve their communities. He called NASS a natural partner because of its focus on evidence-based spine care.
“Dr. Sharma’s generosity will help surgeons from other countries to bring back the latest techniques and share their knowledge,” NASS President Christopher Kauffman, MD, said.
The organization said the fellowship’s benefits are to extend beyond the individual fellows. They are to include carrying new approaches and best practices back to the fellows’ home institutions and to the underserved patients they treat.
NASS is the world’s largest spine society and represents both surgical and nonsurgical specialties.
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