2008 Visiting Clinical Observers
Visiting Clinical Observers
The CCM Department accepts foreign medical graduates as visiting observers. No clinical duties are involved as US law prohibits foreigners lacking license to practice medicine in this country from participation in direct patient care. During 2007 there were 21 foreign visitors from 12 different countries. These visitors varied from medical students to post graduate professors, representing primary specialties such as internal medicine, anesthesiology, general practice, surgery, pulmonary medicine, obstetrics and gynecology. In addition to participating in daily CCM educational programs including lectures, workshops, journal club sessions, grand rounds and simulation training at the Peter M. Winter Institute for Simulation, Education and Research (WISER), they observed rounds in various ICUs of their choice.
Surgical Resident from Turkey Visiting CCM
 Dr. Tolga Ozmen graduated from Istanbul University in Turkey this year and is currently in his surgical residency at Marmara University in Istanbul. It is Dr. Ozmen's intention to seek surgical training in the USA. In the meantime, he will continue with his five-year surgical training program in Turkey and with completing his USMLE exams. Dr. Ozmen has a friend on our surgical faculty, Dr. Attila Soran, who has arranged his visiting observership in the Departments of Surgery and Critical Care Medicine. This is a 5-week visit to UPMC, beginning with experiences in the SICU.
Visiting Researcher from The Czech Republic
 Dr. Jakub Zavada is a 1998 graduate of the reputable Charles University in Prague of the Czech Republic. He is a board certified specialist of internal medicine and nephrology. He is currently a clinical instructor in the Department of Nephrology and Medical ICU of Charles University Hospital. Dr. Zavada has several publications in the field of internal medicine and nephrology. After a prior meeting with Dr. Kellum at a European convention, he was invited to spend time observing the CCM Department’s clinical and research operations. Dr. Zavada is also working on a project started by Dr. Erik Hoste of Belgium as a 2003 visiting researcher in Dr. Kellum's laboratory. This project will continue after he returns to Prague and involves estimating the baseline serum creatinine for ICU patients when it is unknown. Studies reveal that about half of the ICU patients who develop acute kidney injury in intensive care do not have a baseline creatinine. Dr. Zavada will remain in Pittsburgh from Oct. 12 until Dec. 20, 2007 and hopes to finalize this study with a pulication on the results if this important investigation. He would also wish to visit some of our ICUs such as the CTICU and Liver transplant.
Thai Physician Visiting Department of CCM
 Dr. Warit Jithpratuck graduated in 2003 from Chiang Mai University, North of Bangkok in Thailand. He served as an intern for one year and then in Emergency Medicine at different hospitals before moving to the US. In 2006 he passed USMLE Steps I, II and III with high scores. Dr. Jithpratuck has applied to several Internal Medicine Residency Programs and is awaiting calls for scheduling interviews that begin this December. In the meantime, he is a visitor in our Department of CCM and is scheduled for observations in our Trauma, Transplantation and Surgical ICUs at PUH and VAMC. He is also interested in Geriatric ICU problems and will contact Dr. Chelluri for this purpose. Dr. Jithpratuck is currently staying with a friend who lives within walking distance of UPMC.
Surgeon from Nigeria Visiting CCM Department
 Dr. John Ashindoitiang is a 1990 graduate of the University of Calabar in Nigeria. After he completed surgical residency at the University Hospital in Lagos, he worked as a general surgeon at Motayo Hospital. He passed USMLE Steps I and II and plans to take the CS Exam in May next year. He has come to the US to further his training in Surgery but will also consider Family Practice if he is unable to obtain a position in a surgical program. Because of his interest in critical care, especially trauma, Dr. Ashindoitiang is visiting our department for the next five weeks and will observe in our trauma ICU, Abdominal Transplant ICU, and the SICU at VAMC. He will return to Nigeria following this visit. He is married with two children and is a soft spoken gentleman with excellent communication skills in English.
Graduate of Kurnool Medical College Visits CCM Department
 Dr. Sree Latha Krishna graduated from Kurnool Medical College of Southern India in 2004 and moved to the US in Spring 2005. She has taken USMLE Steps 1 and 2, including the clinical skills component. Dr. Krishna wants to obtain a residency in Internal Medicine, Family Practice, or Pediatrics. She has applied for all three because of the strong competition for foreigners. While she waits to learn if she is accepted to a residency program, she will be an observer in our CCM Department with rotations in the CT and Transplant ICUs plus CHP Cardiology/CCM. Dr. Krishna is married to a computer engineer employed at Nixlink System in NJ. She has rented an apartment in Oakland within walking distance of UPMC.
Physician From India Visiting CCM
 Dr. Anupama Lochab graduated in 2004 from the Manipal College of Medical Sciences at the Kathmandu University in Nepal. She moved to the US after two years of service in India. Dr. Lochab is currently a student at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health and expects to graduate with an MPH in December 2007. She is in the process of taking her USMLE exams with plans to apply for a medical residency in the US starting in 2008 or 2009. Her interest in medicine is with infectious diseases, renal failure, and critical care medicine. Dr. Lochab would like to be an observer in CCM, specifically CT ICU and Liver Transplant ICU. She would also like to shadow an ID specialist on consultations in the ICUs. She is available for Sep. - Dec. 2007 for these rotations.
Indian Visitor From Trinidad
 Dr. Srikanth Givvimani graduated in 2001 from Sri Venkateswara Medical College in Tirupathi, India. Since 2004, he has worked as a house officer in Trinidad, WI. He is preparing for an IM Residency in the US and has passed his USMLE Steps 1 and 2 plus the Clinical Skills Exam. If not accepted in the matching program, he will apply for any vacancy with hopes to start his medical residency in July 2008. Because he wants to do a CCM Fellowship after his residency, he is presently an observer in our CCM Department with scheduled rotations in TICU. CTICU, VASICU, NICU, 4G and the Pediatric ICU. He plans to return to Trinidad in November. Dr. Giwimani will apply for research work if he is unable to begin his residence in July next year.
Internist From India Visiting Pitt CCM
 Dr. Kinjal Shah graduated in 2002 from the University of Baroda Medical College in India Following training, she obtained her specialty certification in Internal Medicine and is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Medicine at the Medical College and Sir Sayajirao Gaekwad Hospital in Baroda. Dr. Shah is particularly interested in critical care medicine and renal replacement therapy and will be a visiting observing physician in our CCM Department during August 7th through mid-September 2007. She has chosen to observe in our CT ICU and the VA SICU. Dr. Shah is staying with her sister in Shadyside who is an engineer at Brady Communications in Pittsburgh.
Senior Medical Student Visiting From London, UK
 Danny Wong is a Singapore born Malaysian attending King's College London School of Medicine. He will graduate in 2008 and has chosen to spend his 2-month clinical elective rotation in Pitt's CCM Department. Danny Wong has a special interest in critical care medicine and has selected his July 21 - September 29 rotation at UPMC to be in our Liver Transplant ICU, CTICU and MICU. Dr. Ali Al-Khafaji is his host.
Medical Resident Visiting from United Arab Emirates
 Dr. Mohamed Younes graduated in 2001 from Omdurman I. University in Kartoum, Sudan. After completing a mandatory internship, he moved to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and started his 4-year medical residency in March of 2005. Currently, Dr. Younes is at Rashid Hospital, affiliated with Harvard Medical School in UAE. Having met Dr. Marie Baldisseri during her recent lectures in Dubai, he requested a visiting observership in our CCM Department as he is most interested in Critical Care Medicine. He will spend 3 weeks during this month at UPMC with one week each at the VASICU, CTICU at PUH and OB/GYN ICU at MWH. He will also use the opportunity to visit WISER as there is no simulation center in the UAE.
Pediatric and Medical ICU Observer from China Here for May and June
 Dr. Chang Xia is a 1999 graduate of the China Medical University in Shenyang, North China. She had two years of pediatric training before moving to the US. She has been working on research in tumor antigenesis in Morgantown, WVA, where she obtained her PhD in microbiology last year. Dr. Xia has 12 publications in this field. She scored 93 on the USMLE Step I last year and is waiting to learn the results of USMLE Step II. She has passed the clinical exam. Dr. Xia plans to apply for a residency in pediatrics or internal medicine that begins in 2008. She has requested an opportunity to be an observer in our pediatric and medical ICUs during May and June.
Spanish Anesthesia Resident Here for 2 months on ICU Observership
 Dr. Merce Prieto Butille graduated in 2000 from Universidad Autonoma in Barcelona and is in the final months of her second AR year at Hospital General Granollers in Barcelona. Currently, she is on her ICU block and is permitted two months observation abroad which she chose to do at Pitt. She is interested in a 2-week observation each in the VASICU, MICU, CTICU and OBICU at MWH. She would also like to visit WISER. Dr. Butille will start her third year of AR when she returns to Barcelona at the end of June and plans to graduate in June 2009.
Married Spanish Physicians Visiting CCM and EM at UPMC for Two Months
 Drs. Carlos Ibero and Eva Regido are residents at Hospital Doce, a university hospital in Madrid. Together, they will be observers in CCM's ICUs, EM and at WISER.
Dr. Carlos Ibero graduated in 2001 from the University of Navarra. He is currently an internal medicine resident in his fifth year and will complete his training in June 2007. His interest is in IM, EM and CCM. He has some research experience with 7 Spanish publications.
 Dr. Eva Regidor graduated in 2003 from Universidad Complatense in Madrid. She is a third year resident in CCM which is a five year primary specialty program. Her interests are in CCM, EM and Trauma.
Pediatric Resident from Chile Visiting CCM for Two Months
 Dr. Franco Diaz graduated from the University of Chile in 2003. He is currently a third-year resident in pediatrics at Universidad del Desarrollo in Chile and plans to graduate in May this year. Interested in CCM, Dr. Diaz is visiting our Pediatric CCM Division as an observer and will participate in rounds, lectures and other educational activities during January and February. He has expressed an interest in seeing WISER and SCRR during his visit. Dr. Diaz has rented a room in Oakland within walking distance of CHP.
Previous Vistors (2007)(2006)(2005-2004)(2003-2002)
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