NIKI Academic Trip 2010

Official Report

The 2010 Academic Trip of NIKI started on 24 April and finished on 30 April. Because of many invitation from type II and II universities in Iran, the Board of Trustees of NIKI decided to organize a smaller group and focus 2010 NIKI trip on the special needs of such universities. The host universities for 2010 NIKI trip were Kashan University of Medical Sciences and Zanjan University of Medical Sciences.

The specialties of the NIKI 2010 team included:

1. Gastroenterology
2. Medical genetics
3. Cancer genetics and molecular biology
4. Podiatrics and wound care
5. Plastic and reconstructive surgery
6. Colorectal surgery and minimal invasive surgery
7. Neurosurgery/ functional neurosurgery

The first program at each university was the introductory meeting with the chancellor, board and department heads of the host university. This meeting is a useful start for a more productive program.

The scientific programs of the trip included scientific talks, workshops and hands-on trainings and research collaborations.

The scientific talks were mainly designed to improve and update the scientific knowledge of faculty members, residents, private physicians and students. Each NIKI lecturer presented at least one general and one specialized talk in his/her field of expertise.

Workshops and hands-on trainings are of the most important activities of NIKI. Such programs usually result in establishing a new medical or surgical technique or procedure at the host universities and a have a great impact on the level of health services that the universities provide to their target population. The 2010 workshops included ERCP and endoscopy workshops (5 workshops by Dr Farivar), chronic wound management workshop, neurosurgery workshop, laparoscopic surgery workshop and hospice workshop.

Finalization of the plan for establishment of the first wound clinic in Zanjan was one of the great successes of the 2010 trip. It will be the first wound clinic in Iran which will be officially opened by the end of 2010 and with unconditional support of NIKI Board of Trustees and Dr Morteza Khaladj, Chief of Podiatry and director of the podiatric medicine residency program at Trinitas Regional Medical Center.  

NIKI tried to establish research collaboration between Iranian universities and overseas institution using the support, potentials and facilitation of NIKI faculty members. In line with this NIKI policy, different research projects were discussed during the trip and we expect to finalize them before the next trip. These projects not only will expand the research activities of Iranian universities but also will open the doors for them to start new collaborations with overseas universities. A comprehensive clinical-pathological-genetic study of breast cancer is currently on going as a joint project between Kashan University of Medical Sciences and University of Oxford.

NIKI also donated some medical equipments to the universities to support the newly established programs, e.g. Dr Farivar generously donated an outstanding selection of ERCP/ Endoscopy accessories.

We wish to thank all the faculty, residents, and students of our host universities for their hospitality and friendship during our trip. In particular, we would like to thank Dr Nikbakht (President of Kashan University of Medical Sciences), Dr Sorouri (President of Zanjan University of Medical Sciences), Dr Nikzad, Dr Biglari and Dr Fazaeli ( the vice presidents of universities in Kashan and Zanjan).

We would also like to thanks all NIKI lecturers for their enthusiasm, expertise, and hard work.

We are looking forward to 2011, for the 10^th anniversary of our academic trips to Iran. If we stand together, we will make even more development in medicine and health care in Iran. We welcome all who want to have contribution to medical development of Iran, you can simply contact us at: info{AT}theniki{DOT}net