The Flying Eye Hospital is the world’s only ophthalmic training hospital on board an MD-10 aircraft. Photo courtesy of Orbis International
Orbis’ Flying Eye Hospital — the world’s only U.S.-accredited teaching hospital on board an MD-10 aircraft — has returned to Trujillo, Peru, for the sixth time to deliver three weeks of ophthalmic training.
For the first time, Orbis will dedicate the first week to training medical professionals from the Instituto Regional de Oftalmología (IRO) through simulation technology.
Thanks to the generous support of UTC Aerospace Systems, the new simulation center and training program combines the latest in simulation technology, virtual reality and scientific, surgical and medical knowledge. The curricula that has been developed focuses on holistic simulation training for every member of the ophthalmology team including doctors, nurses and anesthesiologists.
“UTC Aerospace Systems can’t imagine anything more important than equipping the world’s only flying eye hospital with the latest in simulation technology and bringing it to people in need around the world,” said UTC’s Stacey MacNeil.
The program will add a new dimension to training and increase the number of opportunities offered to local doctors, expanding to first- and second-year residents. It allows local ophthalmic teams to learn and practice complex surgical skills in a controlled environment before operating on patients and breaks down a complex surgery into smaller parts allowing local doctors to focus on a certain skill — something that can’t be done with a human eye.
Over the years, through Orbis’ ongoing partnership, IRO has grown into a modern center of excellence in ophthalmology in an area with much need, especially to address retinopathy of prematurity and diabetic retinopathy.