Educational Outreach
Sixty to eighty percent of the world’s population lacks basic health care, yet 80% of the world’s orthopaedists live in the developed world. Since 1992, UCSF/SFGH has offered an elective overseas mission rotation through its residency curriculum. From 1992 through 1996, 15 of 36 orthopaedic residents participated in overseas volunteer mission trips. Of these, 40% went on to perform additional medical mission trips, and 3 of these graduates went on to lead other volunteer missions. This program is the first and only overseas elective rotation available in medical education today.

The practice of medicine in the Western world often involves highly specialized procedures with advanced equipment. A significant part of every day is spent negotiating with dealing with administrative issues, paperwork, or insurance companies. While overseas, the primary concerns are often sterility and supply availability. The opportunity to learn to function as a physician in a different and difficult environment provides residents with a greater global health care perspective and makes them better doctors. The faculty and staff at UCSF/SFGH are committed to the advancement of orthopaedic care in the worldwide community.

Read the blog of our latest resident and faculty member here as they travel to China learn and teach in Wenzhou, China.

Learn more about UCSF's "Into Africa" program for orthopaedic surgery residents.

Find out how two UCSF orthopaedic surgeons provided earthquake relief care in India.