▲(from the left, third and fourth) Professor Seung-il Park, President of Asan Medical Center, and H.E. Alfredo Carlos Bascou, Ambassador of the Argentine Republic to the Republic of Korea, taking a commemorative photo after the welcoming ceremony (Masks lifted for a brief moment for photo)

As international exchanges, temporarily ceased due to the global COVID-19 outbreak, are resuming, many international physicians are flying in from abroad to learn the advanced medical skills of Asan Medical Center (AMC). In the first half of this year, 51 international physicians visited AMC for training and 50 more are scheduled to come in the second half.

A medical team from the Austral University Hospital of Argentina visited AMC on July 18 to learn the world-renowned medical skills and know-hows of AMC liver transplantation team. Austral University Hospital of Argentina had been requesting physician training earlier in January in celebration of the 60^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Korea and the Argentine Republic. However, the visit could not be arranged due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Recently, as the COVID-19 wave was receding, international exchanges such as international physician training have resumed. Austral University Hospital is a leading hospital in Argentina for liver and hepatobiliary surgery, performing an average of 60 cases of adult liver transplantation, 20 cases of pediatric liver transplantation, and 200 cases of hepatobiliary surgery, annually.

This physician training was arranged as part of a medical partnership to commemorate the 60^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Korea and the Argentine Republic. H.E. Alfredo Carlos Bascou, Ambassador of the Argentine Republic to the Republic of Korea attended the welcoming ceremony on July 18. He said, “It is meaningful to celebrate the 60^th anniversary of diplomatic relations with the liver transplantation training program arranged for the Argentine medical team at AMC where world-class advanced surgeries are performed. I look forward to the continued medical collaboration between the two countries.”

The liver transplantation training program for the Argentine medical team took place over three days from July 18 to 20. The medical team observed liver transplant surgeries and obtained useful information regarding living donor liver transplantation, dual-graft liver transplantation, and patient management after liver transplantation. The medical team commented, “The training was a great opportunity for us as we were able to have firsthand observation of the outstanding capabilities and teamwork of AMC liver transplantation team.”

▲ (from the second left, clockwise) Dr. Martin Fauda, Dr. Silvina Montal, and Dr. Ariel Gonzalez Campaña observing Professor Deok Bog Moon perform a living donor liver transplantation