University of Vermont Professor of Radiology Curtis Green, M.D., shared his medical expertise with Russian counterparts as part of the Radiological Society of North America’s (RSNA) International Visiting Professor Program for nine days in April 2013. The program fosters international relations among radiology societies to assist with medical education in developing and newly developed nations.
Green, who has served as a thoracic radiologist at UVM/Fletcher Allen since 2000, was joined by two other radiologists – Johnny U. Monu, M.B.B.S., from the University of Rochester, and Nafi Aygun, M.D., from Johns Hopkins University – who were also part of the Visiting Professor Program. Organized by St. Petersburg, Russia-based Philips staff and members of the St. Petersburg Radiology Association, the agenda of the three visiting professors featured delivering presentations and teaching intensive seminars to radiology residents, as well as attending conferences and meetings.
During his experience, Green presented two lectures at the Nevsky Radiology Forum, and gave a talk to residents and radiologists and reviewed several high-resolution chest CT scans at the I.P. Pavlov St. Petersburg State Medical University. In addition, he visited two area hospitals, including a 400-bed tuberculosis hospital and a neighboring 250-bed children’s hospital, where he had an opportunity to evaluation lung nodules. He discovered that residencies are shorter in Russia, and doctors do not always hold an M.D. or Ph.D. degree.
“The children’s hospital is the only one in Russia and deals almost exclusively with drug-resistant TB,” says Green. “While they had almost as many scanners as we do here in Vermont, they don’t appear to rely on surgery for TB cases more than technology. Here in the U.S., we see nodules and think cancer; they see nodules and think TB."
According to RSNA, the program is mutually beneficial. The visiting team of radiologists informs local doctors and hospitals about the latest advances in diagnostic and therapeutic radiology. In turn, the visiting professors experience firsthand the obstacles faced by medical professionals in the host countries.
“I wanted to see firsthand how radiology is practiced outside of the United States and Canada,” says Green. “I saw a lot of smokers there – and anti-smoking campaign posters – but also learned that there’s some good science in Russia. It would be great if more of their radiologists could come here to see our practices in action.”
The International Visiting Professor Program was founded in 1986 and is administered by RSNA’s Committee on International Relations and Education. This program is supported by Agfa HealthCare.
About RSNA
RSNA is an association of more than 51,000 radiologists, radiation oncologists, medical physicists and related scientists promoting excellence in patient care and health care delivery through education, research and technologic innovation. The Society is based in Oak Brook, Ill. The RSNA Committee on International Relations and Education was established in 1986 to advise the RSNA on how the Society might provide international assistance to enhance radiologic education in countries requesting and requiring assistance.