Susan Baker

:       "I’m in Salzburg, Austria and I’m talking to Dr. Richard       Markowitz who wants to say something to American obstetricians. Dr.       Markowitz take it away."

:       "Thank you, Susie, it’s a pleasure to be here in Salzburg. We’re       at a conference designed to provide an educational experience to Eastern       European physicians who are in the process of becoming leaders within       their own countries. It’s amazing to me the challenges and the       difficulties, which they face in medicine in the care of the unborn and       newly born child. This is obviously an area of great concern throughout       the world, and these are very dedicated people trying their best to       accomplish rather major goals. Part of our mission here is to provide not       only information that can be useful and practical but to provide a setting       where the Western educational tradition is imparted to people who have       grown up in a very different sort of medical education setting. We take       for granted the questioning, the interaction, and the challenging of ideas       which in many parts of the world has not been the standard where the       Professor speaks, everyone listens, and that information is stable and       static for many, many years to come. We know, of course, that information       changes by the moment and everything that we learn one day may be subject       to change and revision the next day, and this is part of the very exciting       system of medicine in the United States which continually moves on and on.       I think we sometimes take that for granted in our own settings but here it       has been brought very much alive to all of us that the imparting of ideas,       the questioning of ideas, the challenging of these ideas, and the       application in settings which may be sub optimal is really a remarkable       thing.

I would say that the role of diagnostic       imaging in these countries is much different than in the United States.       There are not nearly as many specialists and people with expertise, and       yet, there are people with really outstanding backgrounds and information       that unfortunately because of a lack of technology, they find it difficult       to use. It is true, however, that in terms of imaging, ultrasound is one       of the major modalities that is available throughout the world and it is       those who have access to it who can derive as much information as possible       that may help in the determination of the outcome. I know that in the       United States, we have not only developed outstanding ultrasound but we’re       in the process of developing prenatal MR and other techniques which are       giving us more and more information about the anatomy, pathology, and       physiology of the fetus. This is very, very exciting to us about some of       the specialized areas, particularly in areas of fetal surgery and the       entire research effort in this area. But for the Eastern European       physicians that we are in contact with here, there are some even more       basic aspects that they really need to dwell on and concentrate on because       of the overwhelming problems that they face. I think we’re very lucky in       the United States. We take lots of wonderful things for granted but it is       absolutely amazing the dedication and the commitment that these people       have even in the face of rather meager resources to try to accomplish the       things that they’re trying to accomplish. I would recommend to any of my       colleagues in the United States, if they have the opportunity to visit any       of these places and participate in the medical education experience, it       would be greatly, greatly appreciated by those people, they are longing       for contact with the English speaking world. The Internet certainly is one       of the ways in which they can establish this contact and where they can       consult, ask questions, and have dialogue. It’s been very, very exciting       to be here and to speak to these wonderful physicians about their       problems. Thank you."

:       "Dr. Markowitz, can you tell us something about yourself and some of       your background?"

: "I was born in Brooklyn, New       York which is not a third world country anymore but it is the land of the       free and the home of the brave. I grew up in New York City and was       educated medically in Syracuse, New York. I’m now in Philadelphia,       Pennsylvania where I’m on the staff of the Children’s Hospital       Philadelphia, Department of Radiology and Professor of Radiology at the       University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine."

Articles

OBGYN.net Conference CoverageFrom American/Austrian Conference, Salzburg Austria March 4-10, 2000

Author | Susan Baker

Articles

Difference in Obstetric Care between U.S. and Eastern European Countries