BOTHELL, Wash., Jan. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Verathon Inc. (formerly Diagnostic Ultrasound Corp.) is pleased to sponsor two traveling resident scholars for the 2007-2008 scholarship year through the International Volunteers in Urology (IVU) Traveling Resident Program. IVU’s Traveling Resident program provides for residents to accompany a mentoring Urologist overseas, where the team teaches urological procedures to local surgeons and physicians. The value of the Verathon(TM) donation, in financial support and medical equipment, is $50,000. This is the second year Verathon(TM) has supported IVU’s traveling resident scholar program. Last year, the company sponsored scholars who traveled to Cameroon and Vietnam.
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The Verathon(TM)-sponsored scholars will be chosen from candidates from the Western Region of the US, as defined by the American Urological Association (AUA). Each of the Verathon(TM)-sponsored scholars will receive a BladderScan(R) portable ultrasound bladder volume instrument, and a classic GlideScope(R) video laryngoscope to take with them and gift to their destination hospitals.
“I continue to be impressed by the fine work done through IVU and their partners such as the University of Washington,” said Gerald McMorrow, CEO, Founder and Chairman of the Board of Verathon(TM). “Their traveling resident programs not only provide much needed urological care for patients, but they also train local health care providers; this means these programs improve the quality of care for patients on a go-forward basis.”
IVU President and Founder, Dr. Catherine deVries, said, “Verathon(TM) has made a substantial contribution though these grants. The instruments bring a new level of care to local patients. The residents gain experience in new surgical environments. And as world citizens, the local and visiting doctors gain mutual understanding and lifelong partnerships in patient care.”
While abroad, IVU residents have exposure to a wide variety of cases and may have the opportunity to participate in types of surgeries that are difficult for trainees to gain access to in the United States. Residents also learn resourcefulness, as conditions in their destination countries are often markedly different from those in the United States.
“Practicing medicine in Africa taught me many lessons, particularly how to get by with minimal resources,” said Dr. Stephen King, a Urology resident at the University of Washington, Seattle, who traveled to Cameroon on a Verathon(TM)-sponsored scholarship last year. “I was able to deliver BladderScan(R) instruments to two separate hospitals and instruct their physicians/technicians on their proper usage. The scanners were received with great excitement and they were already put into good and regular use by the time I left. This trip changed my life. I hope to return to Africa on an intermittent basis to practice Urology and medicine after I have completed residency.”
In 2006, IVU sponsored teams to Vietnam, Kenya, Mexico, Haiti, Cameroon, and India. In 2007, IVU will send teams to those same countries as well as Tanzania, the Dominican Republic, and Mozambique.
NOTE: If you are a Urology resident and are interested in applying for a Traveling Resident Scholarship, please visit the IVU Website www.ivumed.org and contact IVU directly for details on applications and due dates.
About Verathon Inc.
Verathon(TM), formerly Diagnostic Ultrasound Corp., designs and manufactures reliable, state-of-the-art medical devices and services that offer a meaningful improvement in patient care to the health care community. The company’s noninvasive BladderScan(R) instrument is the gold standard in bladder volume measurement. The brand is found in over 60 countries in Urology and Primary Care practices, as well as Acute and Extended Care facilities. With the January 2006 acquisition of Saturn Biomedical Systems in Vancouver, Canada, Verathon(TM) entered Anesthesiology, Critical Care and Emergency markets with the GlideScope(R) video laryngoscope (GVL(R)) brand. Verathon(TM) is headquartered in Bothell, Washington and has approximately 270 employees worldwide. For more information, please visit www.verathon.com.
Media Contact: Jane Mueller, VP of Marketing, Verathon Medical Inc., 425.867.1348, Ext. 6060. Alternate Contacts: Joyce Chee, Executive Assistant - Marketing 425.867.1348 Ext. 6064; or Jessica McNerney, Executive Assistant to Gerald McMorrow, Verathon Inc., 425.867.1348, Ext. 1448.
About IVU
Although urology is not a topic widely discussed, millions of people worldwide are plagued by urological disorders. While often treated promptly in the U.S., patients in developing countries often do not have access to doctors with proper training or resources to treat them. International Volunteers in Urology (IVU) is committed to making quality urological care available to people worldwide. In fulfilling this mission, IVU provides medical and surgical education to physicians and nurses, and treatment to thousands of suffering men, women, and children. IVU’s motto “Teach One - Reach Many” highlights its goal to “teach the teachers,” thus ensuring the future of quality care for generations to come.
NOTE: BladderScan(R), GlideScope(R), GVL(R), Verathon(TM), and Verathon Medical(TM) are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Verathon Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. All rights reserved.
Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20061011/SFW044LOGOAP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.orgPRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.comVerathon Inc.
CONTACT: Jane Mueller, VP of Marketing, Verathon Medical Inc.,+1-425-867-1348, ext. 6060; or Joyce Chee, Executive Assistant - Marketing,+1-425-867-1348, ext. 6064; or Jessica McNerney, Executive Assistant toGerald McMorrow, Verathon Inc., +1-425-867-1348, ext. 1448.
Web site: http://www.verathon.com/
