RESULTS

1
A Promise to Peru Cataract Surgical Medical
Mission Rebekah H. Gensure, PhD Robert
Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ 08854

• RESULTS
• 1600 patients evaluated
• 1000 prescription glasses sunglasses dispensed
• 85 cataract surgeries provided - able to perform
  68 more cataract surgeries than in 2013 (thanks
  to additional donations)
• 50 Ultrasound examinations
• Medical education with hands-on training provided
  for
• 4 resident physicians
• 18 graduate students
• 4 undergraduate students
• Student-organized patient education workshops
• Dental hygiene
• Back exercises to prevent low back pain
• Hand washing
• International health symposium for local
  physicians and patients
• Research projects on portable ultrasound
  malnutrition

PURPOSE This organization provides an annual
cataract surgical and medical mission to the
Sacred Valley of Peru and nearby regions.

• SUMMARY CONCLUSIONS
• Trip provided excellent hands-on learning
  experience in how to conduct comprehensive eye
  examination in Spanish (aided by Quechuan
  translators)
• Gained familiarity in travel clinic setup
• Became quite comfortable with medical history
  taking in Spanish
• Experienced truly grateful and satisfied patients
  (see below)
• Changed targeted specialty for residency and
  fostered strong interest for future experience in
  global health

Patiently waiting

• OUR TEAM
• Volunteer physicians
• Nurse practitioners nurses
• Allied health professionals
• Students from Stony Brook School of Medicine
  Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
• Masters in Public Health students
• SUNY optometry students
• Undergraduate students

Patients traveled for hours, often by foot, to
reach our clinic. The line for patients waiting
to be seen often stretched out the door to the
hospital and around the corner even before our
team arrived for the day.
Cataract surgery in tandem
CONTACT INFO For more information
www.APromiseToPeru.com https//www.facebook.com/A
PromiseToPeru Our mission has been featured on
Medscape http//www.medscape.com/features/slidesh
ow/peru-medical-mission

• BACKGROUND
• Cataracts leading cause of blindness in middle /
  low income countries
• 80 of all visual impairment can be avoided or
  cured
• Unequal ophthalmology access in Peru (75 of
  Peruvian ophthalmologists work in Lima, where
  only 25 of the population resides)

With a split OR setup, our team was able to
perform two cataract surgeries simultaneously.
Dedication to patient care
Supported by Rutgers RWJMS Office of Global
Health Stony Brook University School of
Medicine Dr Victor Rozas of Peruvian American
Medical Society Dr Francisco Morales of Wiñaypaq
Association Pro Human Development Helena Van
Engelen Foundacion Ninos del Arco Iris Dr Frilo
Silva Caprese Eye Clinic Cuzco and Surgical Eye
Expeditions of Santa Barbara, California JetBlue
Airways

• PERSONAL MOTIVATION GOALS
• Interested in global health travel
• Background in Spanish language (gt12 years) but no
  prior formal travel abroad experience
• Want to learn more about ophthalmology
• Wanted to get familiar with conducting history
  physical exam in Spanish
• Eager to learn more about Quechuan culture

Dr. Joseph Ng, MD, a critical care intensivist
who monitored patients before and after each case
with ophthalmologist Dr. Michael Sable, MD, shown
here with a patient getting ready for surgery.
Above Stony Brook M4 Mari Yasunaga demonstrates
dental hygiene for children in Sacred Valley
region Below RWJMS M2 Sanjay Jumani tackles
patient education with students from Niños del
Arco Iris.