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Patients around the world to benefit from shoulder surgery skills learnt at Greenslopes Private Hospital
Aug 02, 2022
Patients around the world are set to benefit from the skills of Greenslopes Private Hospital orthopaedic surgeon, Professor (Adj) Ashish Gupta, with three international surgeons awarded fellowships from the Australian Shoulder Research Institute (ASRI) to study under Professor Gupta and co-supervisor Associate Professor Kenneth Cutbush.
The surgeons - from Nepal, Lebanon and the Netherlands - are the latest round of fellows to study under Professor Gupta, who has now trained nine international orthopaedic surgeons to become experts in orthopaedic shoulder surgery.
Professor Gupta said the fellowship program aims to promote shoulder training and knowledge globally and to provide equal opportunity to orthopaedic surgeons from around the world who are interested in shoulder subspeciality training.
“The shoulder subspeciality fellowship is a voluntary program which orthopaedic surgeons undertake to further promote their skills and education,” Professor Gupta said.
“We have trained fellows from all over the world who have gone back to their individual countries and are working as subspeciality orthopaedic shoulder surgeons.”
“Over the course of the last few years, we have established an international reputation as a centre of excellence for shoulder training in Brisbane. The fellows come here to learn advanced skills in arthroscopic techniques along with gaining exposure to shoulder arthroplasty, especially revision shoulder arthroplasty. They also have the phenomenal opportunity of research through the Queensland Unit for Advanced Shoulder Research (QUASR) for projects leading to publications.”
“The fellowship is a recurring program and usually we have applications two to three years in advance for our fellowship positions.”
Dr Nagmani Singh is currently undertaking fellowship training with Professor Gupta and, when he returns home to Nepal, he will become the nation’s first fellowship trained subspecialist shoulder orthopaedic surgeon.
“My time with Professor Gupta has been extremely fruitful and has exceeded my expectations. The complex nature and variety of shoulder surgeries which he performs is exciting. I am getting to be part of surgical procedures which I’d previously only seen on videos,” Dr Singh said.
“Also, Professor Gupta’s consultation demeanour with patients is detailed and friendly and I am extremely impressed by it.”
Dr Singh said Professor Gupta’s experience and reputation is what drew him to the fellowship.
“Professor Gupta is well-known internationally in the field of shoulder surgery. He is one of very few surgeons to dedicate his time only to shoulder ailments. He has rotated with the pioneers of shoulder surgery in Europe and Canada. I am not only getting exposure to methods used in Australia, but I am also learning from his insights working across other continents.”
“The training is going to be extremely useful for me in my country. While other subspecialties have developed satisfactorily over the years in Nepal, shoulder and elbow surgery is still in its infancy. Only a handful of surgeons, with limited training and experience are operating on patients with shoulder ailments and many of the complicated and difficult cases are still being referred to neighbouring countries for management.”
“This training is going to help me in approaching a patient more confidently, and I will be able perform several new procedures, many of them being the first of their kind in my country.”
As well as using his new skills to treat patients in Nepal, when he returns home Dr Singh will also move into the role of teacher, educating future shoulder surgeons in Nepal.
“I believe in transferring the skills I learn to younger colleagues and will be involved in teaching and shaping the future of shoulder surgery in Nepal.”
“Although it might sound ambitious, I am also aiming to help in establishing a shoulder and elbow society in my country.”
Subspecialising in shoulder surgery, Australian Shoulder Research Institute fellows in action at Greenslopes Private Hospital, (L to R) Dr Mohammad Jomaa (Lebanon), Prof Ashish Gupta, Dr Freek Hollman (Netherlands) and Dr Nagmani Singh (Nepal)