Bensen Fan,Caixia Zhao,Sanjeev Sabharwal

The prevalence of musculoskeletal trauma, including motor vehicle-related injuries, is increasing worldwide. It is estimated that global trauma will increase by 80% from 2010 to 2020, with a large number of these injuries occurring in regions with limited resources. In addition to neglected musculoskeletal trauma, other clinical entities such as untreated clubfoot, persistent bone and joint infections, and neuromuscular disorders add to the unmet burden in the daily lives of patients and caretakers who reside in such areas around the world. Various organizations have responded to this increasing health-care demand by providing volunteer opportunities for orthopaedic surgeons to teach and train overseas in regions with limited resources. International volunteerism comes in many forms, including short-term surgical aid, disaster relief, and teaching and training local health-care providers.

It is well known that physicians who volunteer internationally during training are more likely to volunteer locally and internationally later in their careers. Some orthopaedic residency programs in North America offer an international elective, and such an elective has been found to be beneficial(Table I). Aside from a few publications primarily resulting from experiences in a single orthopaedic residency program, there is scant literature providing a detailed description of the barriers to setting up an international elective for orthopaedic residents. Given the variability in the size and characteristics of orthopaedic residency programs across North America, the challenges and opportunities for establishing such electives may vary among institutions. Furthermore, there is limited information on establishing such an international elective in residency programs that currently do not offer one.