VIRGINIA BEACH, VA. (PRWEB) NOVEMBER 18, 2020

Operation Smile is hosting its first Virtual Regan Resident Leadership Conference with the support of the Harbourton Foundation on Friday, Nov. 20, 2020. Dr. John G. Meara is scheduled to deliver the keynote speech. The Kletjian Professor of Global Surgery, Director of the Program in Global Surgery and Social Change and Professor of Surgery in the Department of Surgery at Harvard Medical School, Dr. Meara has a particular interest in augmenting the delivery of quality surgical and anesthesia care in low-resource settings through long-term capacity building. His clinical interests are in the area of craniofacial conditions and cleft lip and cleft palate. Dr. Meara will address the changing global surgery landscape in recent years and in the wake of COVID-19's impact.

The exclusive virtual event, “The Changing Landscape and Innovation in Global Surgery and Implications for Comprehensive Cleft Care,” will offer opportunities for shared learning, networking and collaboration between Operation Smile Regan fellows, residents, recent graduates and world-renowned experts regarding global surgery, innovations and its implications for comprehensive cleft care.

“To see the next generation of leaders in plastic surgery, anesthesia and pediatrics come together as part of the Operation Smile Regan Resident Leadership Program is inspiring,” says Operation Smile Chief Medical Officer Dr. Ruben Ayala. “These are professionals who believe that medicine, humanitarian assistance and capacity building have the power to bring humanity together. Through the Regan fellowship, mentors and mentees forge a clear path towards the fulfillment of their service and the positive changes in the lives of children and communities we all hope for.”

Supported by the Harbourton Foundation, the Operation Smile Regan Resident Leadership Program plays a pivotal role in increasing the capacity and skills of senior residents specializing in surgery, anesthesiology and pediatrics, empowering them to deliver high-quality care. Through this program, senior residents have the opportunity to volunteer on an Operation Smile medical program and other training opportunities. This provides the residents with the unique opportunity to develop professional skills, collaborate with a diverse care team while bringing high-quality care to people living with cleft lip and cleft palate around the world.

The virtual conference starts Friday, Nov. 20 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. EST and will feature presentations from a variety of industry experts including Operation Smile Co-Founder and CEO, Dr. Bill Magee; Dr. Donald Lalonde, a professor in the division of plastic and reconstructive surgery at Dalhousie University in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada; Dr. Jeffrey R. Marcus of Duke Children’s Health Center Plastic Surgery Clinic; and Dr. Nicole Ann Shilkofski, assistant professor of pediatrics and anesthesiology and critical care medicine at the John Hopkins University School of Medicine.

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About Operation Smile

Operation Smile revolutionized cleft surgery globally in 1982. With nearly four decades of experience as one of the largest surgical volunteer-based nonprofits, Operation Smile staff, its private-public partnerships and thousands of volunteers have improved the health and dignity of patients with cleft conditions, helping them to better breathe, eat, speak and live lives of greater quality and confidence. While one cleft surgery can bring immediate transformation to a child’s life in as little as 45 minutes, Operation Smile is committed to providing patients with health that lasts—being there to offer patients additional surgeries, dentistry, psychological services, speech therapy and other essential cleft treatments. Its training and education programs elevate local surgical standards and entire health systems to aid safe surgery and strengthen a global network to reach more people earlier in their lives. You can learn more about their transformative and healing work by visiting operationsmile.org or by following @operationsmile on social media.

About the Harbourton Foundation

Established in 1985 in Princeton, New Jersey, the Harbourton Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the Regan family, founded by James (Jay) Regan and his wife, Amy. The foundation’s giving focuses on organizations that tackle issues within human rights and the environment, among others. The Harbourton Foundation has been committed to cultivating emerging medical talent since 2006, when the Resident Leadership Program launched. In 2017, the Regan family made a five-year commitment through the Harbourton Foundation to continue the Resident Leadership Program’s growth and progress.