Medical(andScience(Engagement(inDPRK ... - AAAS Home Poster Medical DPRK.pdf · •...
Transcript of Medical(andScience(Engagement(inDPRK ... - AAAS Home Poster Medical DPRK.pdf · •...
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Medical and Science Engagement in DPRK: Evolution of Medical Engagement with DPRK since 2007
Owen Lee-Park *1, Sharon Y. Kim *1,2, Kee B. Park *1*Corresponding Authors: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
1. Friends in Health DPRK2. Penn Science Diplomacy Group, University of Pennsylvania
Background Friends in Health: DPRK: Mission Plans and Organizing Conferences
Acknowledgements
Ongoing Projects and Outcomes
Moving Forward
B
Origin of Friends in Health: DPRK and PYINS 1.0
Previous Projects and Outcomes
Since the 1990s, numerous Korean American doctors have engaged in medical exchange activity with their DPRK counterparts. Some were individual efforts, while others were carried out through organizations like Korean American Medical Association.
Since 2008, Korean American neurosurgeons began biannual tripsto Pyongyang, performing joint surgeries withDPRK surgeons. And in 2011, this neurosurgery project transformed into the “Doctor to Doctor Initiative”under KAMA, opening its door to all. This allowed for significantlymore KA physicians to join the biannual trips.
And starting 2012, undergraduate and medical students fromAmerica started accompanying these trips, which lay the foundation for Friends in Health: DPRK as well as the first Ever Pyongyang International Conference of Medical StudentsIn 2013.
1st Generation of Korean American Doctors Making
Contact with DPRK Surgeons [1990s]
Bi-‐Annual Medical Trips to DPRK, and Students Begin to Join the Trips (2007-‐2012)
FHD forms and organizes PICOMS
1.0 (2013)
1st Pyongyang International Neurosurgical
Symposium (2015)
Mission:
To provide resources and support for physicians, students, and volunteers as they engage in the medical context of DPRK through medical conferences, foreign exchange programs and public health projects. To this end, FHD seeks to increase the exchange of medical knowledge and promote trusting relationships with healthcare professionals in North Korea.
Organizing Conferences in DPRK:
FHD helps organize medical/scientific conferences in DPRK. Contact: [email protected] for more information.
Increased Student Involvement and FHD
At first, accompanying students had the opportunityto shadow the surgeons’ operations and sit in duringmeetings with DPRK doctors.
But as time passed, students began to play a biggerrole in the medical exchange process. For example, some students interviewed the chair of DPRK neurosurgical society about the history of neurosurgery in DPRK. The result was published in World Neurosurgery in 2015.
And in 2014, students created the organization, Friends in Health: DPRK (FHD), in order to connect and provide opportunities to anyone interested in medical engagement with DPRK.
Alongside the creation of FHD, the first ever Pyongyang International Conference of Medical Students was held in Pyongyang, DPRK in 2013.
Student-‐Led Medical Diplomacy Project
3. Execute the projects during the biannual trips
to DPRK
2. Work with Advisors from Other DPRK-‐Interest
Organizations on Strategies for
Recruitment and Execution of Projects
1. Student Members From Around the
World Discuss Project Ideas via
Video Calls
-‐ PICOMS 1.0-‐3.0-‐ Students given the opportunity to give
presentations to their DPRK counterparts in topics like US and global medical education and health care systems.
-‐ Donation of Medical Equipment and Textbooks-‐ Supported by members of other medical
student organizations like KAMSA and physicians around the country
-‐ Measuring Perception Change Through Survey-‐ Pyongyang International Neurosurgical
Symposium & surveying previous trip participants from the US side.
-‐ Explore ways of improving medical exchanges in politically-‐restricted and resource-‐limited nations like DPRK.
-‐ Document the history and current structure of health care system in DPRK with greater detail.
-‐ Continue to support medical exchange trips via PICOMS, Pyongyang Medical Conference, and Pyongyang International Medical Symposia
-‐ Allow for more students (undergraduate and graduate) to engage in medical/scientific diplomacy through mentor-‐supervised scholarly projects.
-‐ Collaborate with other NGOs to secure peaceful medical diplomacy and exchange relationship with DPRK physicians
1. Korean American Medical Association
Photo 1. DPRK surgeons visit US
Photo 2. Joint surgeries with DPRK surgeons
Diagram 1. Timeline of DPRK Medical Diplomacy Efforts
Photo 3. Student Interviewing Chair of Neurosurgical Society in DPRK
Photo 4. University Hospital in Pyongyang, DPRK
Diagram 2. Process of Project Development
within FHD
For more information: friendsinhealthdprk.org
Photo 7. Friendly Volleyball Match at PICOMS 1.0
Photo 8. DPRK Student Giving a Presentation at PICOMS 1.0
Photo 9. DPRK Students and US Delegate Walking Together to PICOMS 1.0
Pyongyang International Neurosurgical Symposium (PYINS 1.0)
In October 2015, there was the first Pyongyang International Neurosurgical Symposium held in Pyongyang. This was one of the first ever conferences in which over 80 DPRK neurosurgeons gathered and exchanged medical/scientific knowledge with neurosurgeons from countries around the world, including Australia, Pakistan, US, Malaysia, and China.
Following the positive reaction to the first conference by DPRK doctors, the DPRK Medical Association is eager to host another international (open to those of non-‐Korean heritage and English-‐speaking faculty) medical/scientific conference in the coming years. This is a very important recent development in the history of medical/scientific diplomacy efforts with DPRK, and its potential looks very promising.