29 Japanese physicians were in Seattle this week for the Hands-On Ontological Surgery Course at Seattle Science Foundation. The training seminar is four days covering best practices and the latest techniques for ear surgeries, particularly those intended to restore hearing, which are complex surgeries indeed. It’s also a surgical field that sees regular breakthroughs in patient treatment, which makes the Greater Seattle medical community excellent sponsors for the program. Of the 13 world experts teaching the course, University of Washington, Swedish Neuroscience Institute, and Virginia Mason all are represented.
The seminar is cosponsored by Seattle Science Foundation and Virginia Mason. The SSF’s mission is to do exactly this sort of work, bringing together doctors from around the world to teach in person and through video feeds. Their dedication to international collaboration between doctors, scientists, educators, and more mean that in the last year alone, SSF has trained more than 1000 physicians. Another 1200 medical industry representatives also received training in that same timeframe.
In a turn of events that is unsurprising given the innovative, talented nature of this region, the SSF is unique in the world in providing a place for physicians and industry to come together and learn and collaborate about new technology and new techniques.