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What Are We Going To Do About The Shortage of Treating
Physicians?
Source: By Staci Grodin - Co-founder of Turn the Corner
Foundation
New York, NY
August 3, 2005
Turn the Corner, a not-for-profit foundation dedicated
to the support of research, education, awareness and innovative
treatments for Lyme disease, is working to increase the
numbers of Lyme literate doctors domestically and internationally.
Turn the Corner, in partnership with ILADS, established
a Physicians Training Program.
This unique "mentoring" program has been a remarkable
success over the past three years enabling dozens of physicians
from around the world the opportunity to study in the
US with a variety of Lyme literate doctors for approximately
a two week period. Physicians in training have the chance
to learn about Lyme and other co-infections in a hands-on
atmosphere.
Mentoring doctors allow trainees to watch them in action
with patients, observe as they review different cases
and learn their individual approach to diagnosis and treatment.
The program reimburses physicians for their out-of-pocket
costs (such as travel, hotel and meal expenses) incurred
while mentoring.
Trainees' backgrounds range from everything from neurology
to family practice and all are eager to bring their new
found Lyme disease knowledge back to their home town and
help treat Lyme patients. Once completing this training
program, many of these doctors are now the only treating
Lyme literate doctor in their town, city and even state.
In addition, the Turn the Corner Foundation has recently
launched the Pediatric Lyme Training Program
and is in the process of raising $60,000 to fund this
program. The Pediatric Lyme Training Program
will provide training of a board eligible or board certified
pediatrician in private practice or planning private practice
interested in treating pediatric Lyme disease. Currently,
there are very few Lyme literate pediatricians in the
world. The chosen candidate would complete a three month
program with Dr. Charles Ray Jones of New Haven, CT, Dr.
Ann Corson of Philadelphia, PA and Dr. Joseph Burrascano
of East Hampton, NY. Once successful, in the future this
program can be repeated with other pediatric candidates,
with the end goal of “cloning” these doctors
extensive Lyme knowledge and creating many more Lyme literate
pediatricians to treat sick children world-wide. The program
will pay a stipend to training physicians and will reimburse
them for out-of-pocket expenses.
Staci and Rich Grodin founded Turn
the Corner Foundation in February 2002. Since
its inception, the Foundation has raised nearly one million
dollars. For more information about Turn the Corner and
their different programs or to find out about getting
involved and donating please visit www.turnthecorner.org.
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