EAST-WEST SPACE SCIENCE CENTER

NASA established the East-West Space Science Center at the University of Maryland in College Park. As a consortium member EWSSC students visit the MITAC to gain knowledge and an appreciation for telemedicine.

July 2002

Four students from the East West Space Center were present at MITAC July 22-29, 2002. The students included Adilzhan Albazarov, MD from Kazahkstan and Adrian Saftoiu, MD, Marciana Vranceanu, MD and Cezar Stroescu, MD from Romania. They participated in the MITAC weeklong "Principles of Telemedicine" course. During this time, the students also took part in a videoteleconference with the Fundeni Institute in Bucharest. On the last day of the course all students gave presentations on the implementation of telemedicine in their countries of origin. Upon completion of the course each student received a certificate.

November 2001

During the week of November 5-9, 2001 seven students from the University of Maryland's East-West Space Science Center visited the MITAC for a week-long training session on the principles of telemedicine. These students, all of which are physicians, are visiting the EWSSC from various countries in the Former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. Students included Saken Akilbekov M.D., Nurtas Kazybaev, M.D., Bakhtiyar Izatullaev, M.D. from Kazahkstan, Razvan-Daniel Stroe, M.D. from Romania, Ipatova Valentina, Ph.D. from Russia, and Almaz Aldashev, M.D., Ph.D. and Nazira Aldasheva, M.D., Ph.D. from Kyrgyz Republic. These students as well, as others who have participated in MITAC's telemedicine training program, plan to return to their home country and initiate a telemedicine program within their Ministry of Health or academic center.

April 2001

During the week of April 16-20, 2001, students from the EWSSC attended the MITAC's Principles of Telemedicine Course. In attendance were Calin Popovici, M.D., Ikbol Karimova, M.D. and Miron Iencu, M.D., all of which are visiting fellows at the EWSSC. Drs. Popovici and Dr. Iencu are from Romania. Dr. Karimova is from Uzbekistan.

A demonstration of Computer Motion's Zeus robot was provide by Susan Clary, R.N. The week long course culminated with a presentation by each student on the merits of telemedicine, medical informatics and distance learning as they relate to health care and education in their home countries. MITAC anticipates follow on work with both Romania and Uzbekistan.

October 2000

The MITAC was pleased to host visitors from the EWSSC. Sergey Borovskiy, M.D., Ph.D. and Ikbol Karimova, M.D., both from Uzbekistan, participated in the MITAC Principles of Telemedicine Course.

Telemedicine is a necessary tool in the delivery of health care in Uzbekistan because of its geography and demography. The students gained general knowledge of the principles of telemedicine as well as skill training in the equipment necessary for both telemedicine and teleconferencing.

November 1999

For two weeks in November of 1999, the MITAC was pleased to host several visitors from the EWSSC.

Alexey Bortnikov is involved in research at the Space Biomedical Center for Training and Research at Moscow State University. Alexander Bazarjian is a medical doctor in the Department of Epidemiology at NIH-Armenia. Olga Urvantzeva is the chair of clinical radiology at Zil Hospital in Moscow. Khachik Muradian is a doctor of biological sciences working at the Institute of Gerontology at the Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine.