Letter to the editor

Grateful to Cuba

MD Theodore Miclau^* 
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1975-2061

Dear Friends,

I would like take advantage of this opportunity to express impressions that I have gained from my many trips to Cuba over the past decade. I have visited as a People-to-People Ambassador, Professor, course organizer, and research collaborator. These activities have covered practically the entire spectrum of orthopaedic knowledge and trauma care, ranging from basic scientific findings to clinical research in the surgical specialties.

During my visits to Cuba I have been able to know a variety of medical institutions, including CIMEQ Hospital, “Fructuoso Rodríguez” Hospital, “Hermanos Ameijeiras” Hospital, “Calixto García” Hospital, among others. The nature of my visits has allowed me to meet and share ideas with Doctors from these institutions and others who have participated in scheduled activities.The degree of engagement of the Cuban surgeons with whom I have interacted to learn about the latest scientific concepts, explore new innovations, and apply resourceful treatment approaches has left a lasting impression on me. The medical community’s focus on social and preventative medicine has not only been proven useful and cost-effective in Cuba, but also throughout the world. Further, Cuba’s dedication to providing medical instruction to students from other countries and medical doctors to support care in less-resourced environments is noteworthy.

As part of my international education and research activities, I have ongoing academic activities with collaborators on educational and research projects from six different continents. These projects include those carried out by the Association of Traumatology Surgeons of the Americas (ACTUAR), which is an initiative that aims to increase orthopedic research capacity in Latin America and improve the treatment of skeletal injuries throughout the region. Among the most interested and active collaborators continue to be my Cuban colleagues, which is a testament to their professionalism and interest in contributing to the global community.

While the Cuban healthcare professionals have been grateful for their opportunities to collaborate, I too am grateful to have had the chance to work with them. Their enthusiasm and interest for improvement is infectious and stimulating. Through the ACTUAR network and other collaborations, I intend to continue to participate in scientific activities to further develop trauma care education and research in Cuba.

With respect and gratitude,

^*Professor and Vice Chairman

Orthopaedic Trauma Institute International Chair

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, San Francisco

Chief, Orthopaedic Surgery, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital

Director, Orthopaedic Trauma Institute

President, Steering Committee, International Association of Orthopedic Trauma

Past-President, Orthopedic Trauma Association

Past-President, Orthopedic Research Society

Received: August 30, 2020; Accepted: September 01, 2020

^*Author for mail: [e-mail]