Wolfe Clinic Surgeon Travels to India on Medical and Teaching Mission
June 26, 2003
Donny W. Suh, M.D. shares advanced surgical techniques and Iowa culture with ophthalmologists in Nagpur, India
Dr. Donny W. Suh, a pediatric ophthalmologist with Wolfe Clinic, recently returned from a medical mission to Nagpur, India. The global humanitarian organization, ORBIS, sponsored the week-long program.
The city of Nagpur has a population of four million people with four ophthalmology training programs. Suh was invited to all four programs and presented the latest surgical techniques and clinical updates in pediatric ophthalmology and adult strabismus. Practicing ophthalmologists, residents in training and fellows attended 15 didactic and 13 surgical training sessions led by Suh throughout the week.
“The main objective of this mission was to share knowledge with surgeons, residents, nurses and other healthcare professionals who may not otherwise have the opportunity to receive advanced ongoing training, “ said Suh. “I was impressed with the local medical facilities, especially the modern computer systems. The people I met were very kind and hospitable during my stay. In addition to sharing medical knowledge, I was able to share some of the Iowa culture with many who knew little about the United States and had never even heard of Iowa.”
Since 1982, ORBIS has completed more than 440 programs in 80 countries. It has trained over 50,000 ophthalmologists, nurses and other healthcare workers to provide treatment and training in their own countries throughout the world.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 180 million people worldwide are visually disabled and 40 million to 45 million of them are blind. About 90 percent of the world's blind live in developing countries, and almost 80 percent of the world's blindness is avoidable, preventable or treatable with available interventions. Nine in ten of those suffering from blindness live where doctors lack the necessary training or equipment to restore sight.
In practice since 1919, Wolfe Clinic is a recognized regional diagnostic and surgical center offering the broadest range of professional care in the specialties of ophthalmology and otolaryngology. For more information visit Wolfe Clinic online at www.wolfeclinic.com.
Editor’s Note:
Donny W. Suh, M.D. came to Wolfe Clinic from Baltimore, MD, where he completed his pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus fellowship at The Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He completed his ophthalmology residency at The Eye Institute, Medical College of Wisconsin, and received his medical doctorate from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. He earned his bachelor of arts degree in biochemistry from Rice University in Houston. During his residency, as a Paul Kayser Scholar through the Pan-American Academy of Ophthalmology, Suh traveled to South America to work with pediatric ophthalmologists in treating disadvantaged children.
Dr. Suh is currently a member of ORBIS and Surgical Eye Expedition (S.E.E.) and travels to various countries to provide free medical and surgical services. He has had numerous articles published and is actively involved with researches through Pediatric Eye Disease Investigation Group. He presented the results of his research on a surgical technique for treating specific types of strabismus at the American Academy of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. Dr. Suh is an adjunct professor at the University of Nebraska, Omaha. He and his wife have three children. He enjoys spending time with his family, table tennis, golf, jogging, and trying new cuisine.