PEDIATRIC HEART SURGERY & INTERVENTIONAL CARDIOLOGY MISSION INVITATION

SANTO DOMINGO, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

September 2-16, 2023 

CardioStart International is pleased to announce a return mission to Clinica Corazones Unidos Hospital in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.  This two-week mission will focus on managing pediatric congenital cardiac surgery and PEDIATRIC catheterization lab procedures.   The Rotary Gift of Life DL7490 and Trinity International Missions are providing vital support to make these cases possible.  

SAFETY

Travel.state.gov rates the Dominican Republic as Level 2:  Do exercise Increased caution due to crime.  Go to their website for more information and to make your decision.   

MISSION DETAILS:

Pediatric Interventional Cardiology:  Interventional cardiac procedures will be performed at Moderno MCA (a new center), and access will be unrestricted during the two weeks. 

Pediatric Cardiac Surgery: will take place at Clinica Corazones Unidos, which is already receiving and managing adult cardiac surgical cases.  CardioStart’s pediatric team will perform and teach skills for local cardiologists, the local cardiac surgeons, ICU doctors, nurses, and allied professionals. Team volunteers will be expected to participate in bedside teaching and demonstration. 

Outreach:  This will focus on performing evaluative 2D echo and general clinic assessments.  Clinics will also be held at three outreach locations: Mauricio Baez, Moscoso Puello Hospital, and Luis Eduardo Aybar Y Morgan Children’s Hospital. 

HOW TO PARTICIPATE

Interested volunteers will be asked to fund their own airline ticket (Santa Domingo airport code is SDQ), obtain immunizations (see CDC website and vaccination requirements (by the D.R.) and pay for their one evening meal day.  All hotel and other meal costs will be provided. 

The mission will begin on Sunday 3rd; we request you arrive some time on Saturday, Sept. 2nd. Orientation and patient case presentations will take place on Sunday afternoon, Sept. 3rd.   The mission will end 5 pm, on Friday, September 15th. Volunteers may choose to stay longer to visit many of the interesting locations nearby at their own expense.   

THE TEAM WILL INCLUDE:

  • Pediatric Surgeon (2) 1 Filled
  • Pediatric Interventional Cardiologist (1) Filled 
  • (1) Pediatric Cardiologist for Outreach (1) 
  • Pediatric Cath lab Tech (1) Filled
  • Echo Tech Adult/Ped for outreach (1) (1st week filled, 2nd week open)
  • Pediatric Intensivist (1) 
  • Pediatric Anesthesiologist (1) 
  • Pediatric Perfusionist (1) 
  • Pediatric Intensive Care Nurses (with previous or current cardiovascular training experience) (4+)
  • Pediatric Respiratory Therapist (1) Filled
  • Data Research Coordinator (2) 1 filled 
  • Outreach volunteers (2) (one medical/nurse)

***Spanish speaking skills a bonus

HOW TO APPLY TO JOIN THE TEAM

Our hosts, Fundación Heart Care Dominicana Inc., have suffered severe financial restrictions during the Covid pandemic that have limited how many rooms in the hotel they can support.  For this reason, we are agreeing to same-sex room sharing, where possible and team numbers will therefore be more restricted than usual to ensure we balance the room allocations carefully.   As usual, teams are assembled strictly on the “first come – first served” basis.  Those who could not be previously accommodated in a previous mission application will be prioritized. 

For registration, please click here.

Communicate directly with Ms. Janine Henson at Janine.henson@cardiostart.org