Shahid Husain Foundation, Shalamar Hospital, and Johns Hopkins Medicine International (JHMI) are working to build Pakistan’s first Women’s Health Center. Two doctors – Dr. Sadaf Ishaq, Asst. Professor of Surgery / Oncology and Dr. Eisha Tahir, Assistant Professor of Radiology – from Shalamar Hospital, visited the JHMI, USA, in the first week of June 2022 for Medical Observership training to learn about best practices. Recently they returned after their first observership visit and delivered presentations on their learning experience and their plan to improve their respective departments for the development of the Women Health Center.

 

Here’s what Dr. Sadaf and Dr. Eisha learned from their Medical Observership visit to Johns Hopkins Medical International (JHMI), USA.

“My visit to JHMI was centered in the breast imaging unit at the Johns Hopkins main, Green Spring Station, and White Marsh Center. I shadowed Dr. Emily Ambinder, Dr. Phil Di Carlo, and Dr. Babita Panigrahi. The focus of this visit was learning about the latest imaging modalities and interventional procedures related to breast cancer screening & diagnosis. During observership, I primarily concentrated on screening & diagnostic mammography reporting, breast MRI reporting, stereotactic biopsy, clipping and wire localization, and MR-guided biopsy and clipping. JHMI is equipped with the latest imaging modalities and follows the ACR guidelines in their diagnostic workup and follow-up.

“My clinical observership was in the breast centers of Johns Hopkins Hospitals at Bayview, Green Spring Station, and Skip Viragh cancer outpatient center. Dr. Mehran Habibi is the director Breast center at Johns Hopkins, and he was my breast surgery mentor there. I learned and trained on developing breast centers and hands-on practice on the latest breast cancer surgery tools available at Johns Hopkins like Margin Probe, Endomag, axillary surgery updates, and Oncoplastic procedures. Johns Hopkins’s latest research on breast cancer diagnosis and treatments, including their liquid DNA biopsies for breast cancer recurrences and much more practice-changing trends over there, this clinical observership boosted my confidence as a Breast Surgical Oncologist. This collaboration is a perfect opportunity for the young consultants to learn from the latest evidence-based practices and broaden their professional horizons.” ~ Dr Sadaf Ishaque

Here what they have to say about their visit and learning over there.

It was a refresher for “best practice.” Including value-added services in Shalamar Hospital and frequent communication with the JHMI consultants and administration will pave the way for patient benefit in the future. I would add that since my expectations and learning objectives were evident before my visit, hence it maximized my experience there. I recommend the same for the consultants visiting in the next phase.” ~Dr Eisha Tahir