IGOT Annual Giving Campaign

October 30, 2024

Give Now To Save Limbs And Lives

IGOT’s mission is to collaborate with partners around the world to promote equity in orthopaedic care.

Over 50 million people in the most under-resourced parts of the world cannot walk, work, or thrive due to a shortage of surgeons trained to treat limb injuries and deformities.

For nearly two decades, the Institute for Global Orthopaedics and Traumatology (IGOT) has worked to eradicate the unnecessary loss of limb function by increasing the number of surgeons who can provide vital orthopaedic care in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Founded in 2006, IGOT has trained over 2,000 surgeons who are actively working to save limbs, correct deformities, and restore function. We know the solution to advancing equity in health care is within our reach through education and research. But more work is needed to narrow the gap in expertise.

IGOT works with doctors and healthcare facilities worldwide to provide specialized, hands-on training in resource-limited settings. The IGOT Portal supplements content from in-person courses, offering a free, self-paced platform of educational materials in an online classroom format.

All donations directly support IGOT education and research programs in over 30 countries. With your help, this impact can be amplified for years to come.

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Our 2024 Highlights include:

Broad access to specialized surgical training through domestic and international Surgical Management and Reconstructive Training (SMART) Courses
o IGOT trained over 350 surgeons at SMART Courses in Tanzania, Mexico, and the United States (US) from 25 LMICs.
o IGOT is holding its first SMART Course in Nigeria in November 2024.
Free online training via the IGOT Portal
o 113,000 international surgeons accessed the IGOT Portal for continuing education.
o IGOT added 1,500 new subscribers for a total of 4,300 subscribers across the globe.
Access to one of the world’s most comprehensive libraries of pediatric resources, Global HELP
o Global HELP was accessed by 688,000 medical professionals.
o 1,500 new subscribers joined Global HELP for a total of 30,000 subscribers worldwide.
Global cooperation between UCSF and IGOT partners
o IGOT conducted 10 educational webinars in 2023-2024 in partnership with UCSF and international global collaborators.
o Expanded the IGOT Board of Directors to include Drs. Nicolas Lee, Lauren Shapiro, and Michael Terry from UCSF.
Research
o Conducted research studies to improve patient outcomes and treatments across Africa and Latin America.
o Published 40+ peer-reviewed articles to inform global practices and policies.
Fellowships
o Provided fellowship sub-specialty training for two orthopaedic surgeons in Uganda to increase the number of pediatric orthopaedic surgeons in the country.
Resident Electives
o More than 70% of UCSF’s fourth-year residents participated in a four-week global elective rotation at partner sites in Ghana and Tanzania.
Visiting Surgical Observerships
o Seven visiting surgeons participated in IGOT’s global observership program, supporting bi-directional knowledge exchange and ensuring sustainable collaborative efforts between countries.

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LOOKING AHEAD TO 2025

IGOT will continue its vital education and research programs with a commitment to holding five SMART Courses reaching 400 surgeons from 30 LMICs globally.

IGOT will continue to collaborate with surgeons to fulfill our mission to advance global health equity.

WHERE THE DOLLARS GO

SMART Courses
When orthopaedic surgeons have access to training in innovative limb-saving procedures, we can minimize the unnecessary loss of limb, limb function, and livelihood. Our three-day SMART Courses, held domestically and abroad, have brought critical surgical and reconstructive training to thousands of surgeons from under-resourced parts of the world.
IGOT Portal
Technology today advances access to continuing medical education for surgeons worldwide. The IGOT Portal provides free, high-quality content that surgeons can access anywhere to gain skills that directly impact their patients. IGOT is continually creating new content that requires funding support.
Pediatric Care
We provide hands-on courses, latest research findings, and online education through the Global HELP platform (one of the world’s most comprehensive pediatric orthopaedic resource libraries) lessening unnecessary disabilities in children. We also provide ongoing educational support through in-person and virtual training to expand pediatric orthopaedic knowledge in Uganda.
Research
Ongoing research in under-resourced countries solves important clinical dilemmas and provides data to advocate for more resources and improved care in the communities served.
Fellowships and Observerships
In many parts of the world, there are no regional sub-specialists to provide orthopaedic care. IGOT helps support in-country fellowships and US-based observerships in collaboration with LMIC partners.