On Saturday 28th January 2012, Dr Mak Khan gave a presentation at the International School of Benghazi about the Virtual Interactive Surgical Training Academy (VISTA) on behalf of World for Libya. The presentation was delivered to an audience of 30 doctors in Benghazi in a drive to recruit Libyan doctors to join this ground breaking project.
VISTA is the first project of it's kind and would involve weekly interactive video lectures, an online library of surgical techniques including visual media, case studies on interesting cases and a 24/7 on-call advice service to international consultants. The VISTA project will allow senior UK and international surgeons to share new techniques and knowledge, by interacting on a weekly basis over this online training platform.
This project, in collaboration with World for Libya, is the brain child of colleagues Dr. David Knott and Dr. Mak Khan. During his time at Al Hickma and Abbad hospital in Misrata Dr. David Nott, a trustee of the charity, World for Libya was able to see first hand the effects of the ongoing revolution and the need for properly trained medical professionals. VISTA was design as a mean to he address this problem and as a strategy to deliver post conflict medical care. It was decided that the foundations of this strategy must be based on the proper medical training of Libyan Healthcare professionals. Applying the first-hand experience gained both in surgery and teaching during his time in Misrata, Dr. David Nott and Dr. Mak Khan will lead this programme, and create an electronic learning environment allowing surgeons from abroad to train Libyan doctors.
