Surgeon Dr Shafi Ahmed brings augmented reality to medics in Gaza
Last month, laproscopic and colorectal surgeon Dr Shafi Ahmed visited Gaza with Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) team, on a mission to assess training needs for medics working in the territory’s overburdened hospitals.
Famous for being the first surgeon in the UK to live-stream a surgical procedure via Google Glass, Dr Ahmed is a pioneer of technical innovation in medical training. ...
Can you tell us about the seminars you ran on the use of Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality in medical training?
I did two lectures – one to the Palestinian Medical Society, and one to a medical school. I focused on augmented reality as a tool to support surgical training, which hasn’t been used in Gaza before. I used it as an opportunity to show them what was available around the world and to use those products for the first time.
There was such enthusiasm and openness to new ideas among the students. We want to look to how we can use these technology for training medics. At the new medical school at the Turkish Hospital in Gaza, they want to integrate new ideas from outside Gaza, such as simulation training and using remote training via online platforms.
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Any final reflections from your trip?
I’m quite encouraged by the standard of care, the knowledgebase, the clinical expertise, and the commitment of medical staff to healthcare in Gaza. They have good motives and aims.
What is disappointing is that doctors of all descriptions have aspiration – everyone wants to improve their standards – but in Gaza the only way they can do that is by trying to visit other countries or bringing other people in to help them. That’s where the frustrations arise from. It is impossible for doctors to easily access continuous professional development – a basic requirement for all doctors – with the blockade in place.
See the full story here: http://english.pnn.ps/2016/02/13/surgeon-dr-shafi-ahmed-brings-augmented-reality-to-medics-in-gaza/