Resident Scholar: Danny Huynh, MD; University of Missouri-Columbi
Location/Date: Pune and Bhopal, India; December 14-23, 2015
Mentor: Sakti Das, MD and Sanjay Kulkarni, MD
Sponsored by: The South Central Section of the AUA
Extract from Dr. Huynh’s Report:
“My trips to Pune and Bhopal gave me two very different perspectives on medical care in India but the underlying theme of quality care for patients was the same. 
My trip to India began in Pune at the Kulkarni Endo Surgical Hospital, owned and operated by Dr. Sanjay Kulkarni and his wife. The stricture disease encountered in this hospital are incredible. Their urethroplasties appeared almost effortless, especially as Dr. Kulkarni finds a teaching opportunity in every step without missing a beat in the procedure. Dr. Kulkarni’s focus is on providing the highest level of care for all his patients and educating everyone around him. Everything else comes second.
The second part of my trip took me to Bhopal, India for the 79th Mega Free Urology Camp. This camp is well orchestrated to bring people from impoverished communities throughout India to Bhopal where they can receive free Urologic care, lodging and food. Preoperative planning and admissions started weeks before our arrival and postoperative recovery continued days after we left, including arrangements for long term follow up at future camps. Despite the hectic pace, Dr. Das, Dr. Singh and the local Urologists took time to walk me through the setup and showed me new techniques. Before I knew it, I was fully immersed in the OR rotation despite the language barrier.
My IVUmed focus of providing health care to those in need was accomplished and the process was incredibly enriching, personally and professionally. During my medical training, I’ve been reliant on the equipment and resources of large Western hospitals so it was enlightening to see what the physicians of India were doing with far less. The humanitarian efforts of my mentors are admirable and life changing to the patients they encounter. The opportunity to participate in this IVUmed excursion has been one of my most rewarding and memorable experiences.”