March 3rd -20th, 2017, Chief Resident Dr Sam & 4th year residents Dr Meono & Dr Cabrera had an intensive rotation in CT visiting ECHN hospital ORs in Manchester,Rockville, UConn Department of Orthopedic Surgery where they were hosted for 2 cadaver labs. St Francis Hospital and Dr Robert Green invited them for Grand Rounds, resident clinic and simulation lab, Dr Cabrera presented a surgical case at CT Children’s hospital, Dr Meono presented a summary about Guatemala,the San Marcos region & hospital to the residents & med students of the University of New England and  to a health class at Manchester High School.  In addition to observing hospital and OR functions they visited Middlesex Center for Advanced Orthopedic Surgery & Glastonbury SurgiCenter where they learned & observed the accepted rocedures involved in sterile processing & surgical instrument care.  Melinda Marley at ECHN Central Sterile Processing & Eliseo & Mariela of the Glastonbury Surgical Center were generous with their time and thorough in their presentations. Thank you!!

This sterile processing knowledge has helped them launch classes in San Marcos Hospital where they are sharing processing procedures and updating policies to internationally accepted standards.  Department Head and nursing personnel are beginning to take steps required in preparation for updating some surgical instruments.

While in Connecticut they enjoyed their first snowball fight, a UConn men’s basketball game and tour of the athletic training facilities hosted by Phil Chardis & Michael Enwright- with hats! & some tourist time enjoying coffee at SIFT in Mystic & breakfast at Carson’s in Noank.

A week followed in San Diego attending the many lectures at the annual AAOS Orthopedic Academy meeting.  Met new friends and academic contacts, helpful vendors Conmed, Arthrex, and surgical instrument vendor, Orthomed, enjoyed restaurants, whale watching  & dinners with Guatemalan colleagues attending the conference.