Giving Back: A Medical Mission Trip to Nepal

Sameh Elguizaoui, M.D., is a fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon who specializes in sports medicine, arthroscopic surgery, and the treatment of general orthopedic injuries and trauma.

In addition to his clinical interests and the work he does at NY Orthopedics, he is also involved in sharing his expertise around the globe through Orthonations.

Most recently, Dr. Elguizaoui joined some of his Orthonation colleagues on a medical mission to Nepal…

Q: What motivated you to embark on this journey?

Dr. Elguizaoui: I have always been interested in giving back as well as international medical mission type work. I got involved with Orthonations as a sports medicine fellow with Dr. Montgomery. My first trip with the group was to Vietnam, which was an incredible experience that definitely confirmed my commitment to doing this kind of work.

Q: What is orthopedic care like in that part of the world currently?

Dr. Elguizaoui: Nepal is definitely a third world country, but they deal with the same orthopedic issues that we have here in the United States. The doctors there have to be a lot more creative with the way they treat patients because of their limited resources. From my experience, the doctors are well-trained as a lot of them go internationally to learn more about orthopedics, but they are just limited to whatever they have in their hospitals to treat patients.

Q: Tell us about the opportunity you had to connect with colleagues while in Nepal. (Presentations? Conversations? Collaboration?)

Dr. Elguizaoui: The Orthonations program is set up as a collaborative learning experience. We spend a few days giving presentations on topics of interest, then from there we discuss cases that the local doctors have lined up for us to help with their surgeries. Together in the operating room we try to tackle difficult cases while also teaching the local surgeons and residents.

Q: Tell us about the patients you saw in Nepal. Where there common complaints or injuries?

Dr. Elguizaoui: The patients and pathologies spanned the gamut of orthopedics. We focused mainly on sports medicine-based injuries, but also saw some complex chronic shoulder pathology.

Q: Outside of surgeries, what else did you do during your time in Nepal?

Dr. Elguizaoui: The trip itself was about 10 days. We went to Kathmandu and spent about 4 days in a few hospitals in the city. We also had some time to explore the city and do touristy activities, including exploring their food culture. We also flew to Chitwan National Park and spent a few days in the Chitwan jungle as well as giving talks and visiting a hospital in the neighboring city.

Q: Anything else about the experience you’d like to share?

Dr. Elguizaoui: Nepal is an incredible country with very welcoming people. I would highly recommend to anyone looking to do a medical mission trip to join Orthonations on their next trip to Nepal.