Teaching and Practicing Congenital Hand Surgery in Cambodia - Lessons Learnt

Area of Science:

• Global health
• Surgical education
• Pediatric surgery

Background:

• Surgical conditions, especially congenital hand anomalies, pose a growing challenge in developing countries.
• Congenital hand surgery requires specialized skills, a multidisciplinary approach, and management of diverse cases.
• Limited access to specialized surgical care impacts patient outcomes in resource-limited settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To share experiences in establishing congenital hand surgery practice in Cambodia.
• To assess the feasibility of a sustainable and meaningful training program for this specialty in developing countries.
• To propose a replicable model for surgical education in low-resource environments.

Main Methods:

• A collaborative team of hand surgeons and therapists conducted regular visits to Cambodia starting in 2013.
• A community-oriented curriculum was developed based on initial assessments of local needs and surgeon skill sets.
• Pareto analysis and competency-based procedures were used to define entrustable professional activities (EPAs) for training.

Main Results:

• Common pediatric hand conditions were identified and incorporated into the training curriculum.
• Local surgeons received targeted education and skill development in congenital hand surgery.
• The program emphasized measurable outcomes, clear educational objectives, and long-term partnerships.

Conclusions:

• A structured, community-based approach is feasible for teaching congenital hand surgery in developing countries.
• Sustainable training requires clear goals, measurable outcomes, strong partnerships, and technological support.
• This model can enhance pediatric surgical capacity and improve patient care in resource-limited regions.