Operation Smile - Changing Lives One Smile at a Time

Operation Smile Hosts Anesthesiologist Training

During the first week of October 2008, Operation Smile partnered with Penn State Hershey Medical Center to provide training designed specifically to enhance quality of care and safety in the area of pediatric anesthesia on Operation Smile medical missions. Anesthesiologists representing each of Operation Smile's foundations in Latin America traveled to the program in Hershey, Pa., to participate in lectures, workshops, and state-of-the-art simulation scenarios that will advance their skills as anesthesiologists. "I appreciate the invitation to participate in this magnificent opportunity," said Dr. Erika Wong Chan, a participant from Peru. "This type of training encourages me to improve professionally and personally…it was very important for me to share with people from different countries who all have the same objective, which is to provide help to children."

Dr. Patrick McQuillan and his staff at the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center welcomed numerous doctors from Operation Smile and partner institutions including Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and provided invaluable support for the program. Operation Smile is very excited about this new partnership with Penn State and this latest program that has been developed to support anesthesiologists.

From left: Dr. Nelson Gonzalez (Paraguay), Dr. Juan Redway (Panama), and Dr. Francisco Barba (Mexico) practice Operation Smile emergency scenarios in Hershey Medical Center’s state-of-the-art simulation lab.	Dr. Mercedes Trigoso (Peru) and Dr. Nathalie Munguia practice nasal intubation using a fiberoptic scope.
Dr. Patrick McQuillan instructs Dr. Adriana Montero (Venezuela) as she practices using a fiberoptic scope with a computer simulation.