Overseas Training Programs

The Overseas Teaching Program (OTP) was founded by Nicholas M. Greene, M.D., in 1990. The OTP was created to address the urgent need for anesthesiologists to educate anesthesia providers in Africa and help address the growing crisis of fewer trained anesthesiologists in developing countries.

Over the years, OTP supported education programs in Tanzania, Ghana, Zambia and Rwanda.

Today, two programs remain active: the first is the Rwandan teaching program, which was established in 2006, and is a testament to the success of the OTP. This program is supported by ASA in collaboration with the Canadian Anesthesiologists Society International Education Foundation (CASIEF).

The second active ASA teaching program is younger, established in 2016, in Guyana, South America. It is also a collaboration with CASIEF, modeled after the successful Rwanda program ( see below ).

Training Programs in Rwanda and Guyana

Guyana Overseas Training Program

This project was established in 2016 in collaboration with CASIEF for ASA members to help educate and train Guyanese Anesthesiology Residents in a newly developed residency training program at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

Anesthesia delivery and training conditions are precarious in Guyana. In most of the country, providers have technician or nursing-level training. There are eight trained anesthesiology specialists working in the capital -- an insufficient number to provide quality education to a new generation of anesthesiologists. The partnership supports educational efforts with volunteer anesthesiologists from the US and Canada.

We will begin accepting volunteers in January 2023. Volunteers will provide classroom and clinical teaching as well as support faculty development. Expenses are supported by the ASA. A two-week minimum is required, and four weeks is preferred. All interested ASA members are encouraged to apply. For more information, please contact Dr. Reema Sanghvi [email protected]. Please include a CV and letter explaining your interest in volunteering.

Rwanda Program

Operating since 2006 to strengthen anesthesia education for residents and technicians, the ASA-CASIEF program accepts four ASA faculty members per year as volunteer teachers to increase capacity for safe and effective anesthesia care across Rwanda. Trainees who have graduated from this program are now faculty in Rwanda promoting anesthesia safety, education, and patient advocacy. An incredibly rewarding experience, ASA volunteers continue to play a key role in the process of advancing this program transitioning now to grow anesthesia teachers and leaders. Our program is currently recruiting faculty volunteers to teach in Rwanda for one month.

Established in 2006, this program has been successful in training anesthesia physicians because of the efforts made by ASA member volunteers. Although previous experience in Rwanda is a plus, as is previous international experience, all ASA members are encouraged to apply.

Please send any questions or to apply, your CV and a letter stating your reasons for interest, to Dr. Shyamal Asher at [email protected]. 

For travel reimbursement requests and information, please contact Sarah Braun at [email protected]

For more information, visit these links:

ASA Global Health Overseas Training Programs: A Rwanda Update

Committee News

  Training in Kigali, Rwanda