Advancing Orthopedic Training in Guatemala

Advancing Orthopedic Training in Guatemala

Geri and Barry Messinger, MD have a passion for teaching and helping others that is inspiring to say the least. Barry first contacted Sawbones in 2013 about donating some arthroscopy training models for his training workshop in Guatemala. It was then that we learned about the work he and Geri had been doing to open up a skills simulation lab for resident training. The organization they started, Orthopedic Solutions to Surgical Access Inc. (OSSA), provides arthroscopic skills training to orthopedic surgery residents as well as surgical care for those who cannot afford it otherwise in Guatemala.

Currently, the residents training with OSSA use the FAST Skills Training Workstation, Alex Shoulder Professor models and various other Sawbone models to hone their skills and practice surgical techniques. 

Barry and Geri have cultivated a relationship between Sawbones and OSSA that we truly value and look forward to nurturing . Each year at the AAOS Annual Meeting we look forward to seeing them both along with any of the residents they are able to bring with them from Guatemala. It is our pleasure to work with them and we enjoy seeing the impact their organization is making for the people of Guatemala.