Popular Press
Supporting rebuilding efforts in Afghanistan
RCPSC Dialogue
(2013)
Abstract
The Royal College has been quietly assisting in the
reconstruction of Afghanistan’s residency education system,
devastated by years of war, by supplying members of the
NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan (NTM-A) with educational
materials and advice to appropriately modernize the country’s
training programs.
“These efforts are essential for the training of Afghan
physicians in medical and surgical specialties, to ensure a
healthy future for the people of Afghanistan,” says Major Vivian McAlister, MD, FRCSC, member of
Royal College Council and NTM-A participant.
The capacity-building initiative is supported on the ground by the NTM-A team, which includes
numerous Fellows of the Royal College, who advise their Afghan counterparts on ways they can lead
advances in the country’s health care system.
As part of these efforts, Dr. Emal Wardak, an orthopedic surgeon from the Wazir Akbar Khan Hospital
in Kabul, was presented with a special Royal College speaker certificate during the Orthopaedic Society
of Afghanistan 2012 trauma symposium, for his lecture on the evolution of fracture management.
This goodwill gesture was to officially recognize and promote leveraging local knowledge as the
rebuilding process progresses.
“In any international endeavor, it is important to recognize that one-size does not fit all and that
collaboration is key. I am proud to say that we have been collaborating in every sense with our
colleagues in Kabul to map out a resident training system that is appropriate to their needs and that
makes use of their expertise,” adds Dr. McAlister.
Disciplines
Publication Date
March, 2013
Citation Information
"Supporting rebuilding efforts in Afghanistan" RCPSC Dialogue Vol. 13 Iss. 3 (2013) Available at: http://works.bepress.com/vivianmcalister/255/