Providing Healthcare & Education for Underserved Communities Worldwide
Our team is comprised of a multidisciplinary group of healthcare providers including physicians and nurses that represent all medical and surgical subspecialties. These teams would be dispatched to areas of need nationally and internationally to provide the specific healthcare services needed in that area. These services can include medical and surgical care.
A triage team, who will be a health professional identified in each location, will screen patients prior to the medical mission and determine the medical needs of the specific population. This triage team will interface with local healthcare providers to coordinate the right health care team that will meet the needs of the population in need. This triage team will also serve as a liaison to provide information to the local population and coordinate care and establish educational opportunities for continued care after the mission is completed.
Missions will typically last one to two weeks depending on the location and need. During the missions, The GW MFA team in partnership with local healthcare providers, will provide medical care for the underserved population. Additionally, the GW team will provide an opportunity for local healthcare providers to learn up-to-date treatments to improve and continue care after the mission is completed.
The GW MFA team will provide these services free of charge and will not discriminate based on any social, political, or religious affiliation.
Mission
- To provide high quality multidisciplinary healthcare to the underserved and indigent population, both nationally and internationally.
- To educate patients and local healthcare providers in order to improve the existing quality of healthcare at that locale.
- To establish an independent and self-sufficient healthcare team that would be able to respond expediently to crisis and disaster situations.
Thank you for supporting Doctors International at The GW Medical Faculty Associates. We are grateful for your time, talents, and donations that help bring medical care to people around the world. Your kind gifts allow us to continue providing health care services to indigent populations both nationally and internationally.
- Meet Our Co-Founders
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Learn More About the Co-Founders of GW Doctors International
Doctors International launched its first mission to Guyana, South America. Led by Drs. Vaziri and Dangerfield, a 21-member-team of surgeons, surgical residents, anesthesiologists, nurses, surgical techs and a public health specialist. Beginning with just an idea, co-founders Dr. Paul Dangerfield and Dr. K. Vaziri began the mission of providing the same high-quality multidisciplinary healthcare from Washington, D.C., to the underserved and indigent population internationally.
Dr. K. Vaziri
Khashayar Vaziri, MD is board-certified in General Surgery and specializes in advanced laparoscopic and gastrointestinal surgery. He also serves as the Program Director for the Residency in General Surgery, co-founder of Doctors International and a professor of surgery at The George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences. Dr. K. Vaziri was also the former Director of Surgical Clerkship. His areas of interest include laparoscopic surgery for gastroesophageal reflux, achalasia, hiatal hernias, and laparoscopic surgery for the stomach, and spleen.
Dr. Paul Dangerfield
Paul Dangerfield, MD is a board-certified anesthesiologist with decades of experience in operative and perioperative anesthetic care including pain management. He pioneered the development of the Acute Pain Service at George Washington University Hospital ensuring optimal pain management in the recovery of surgical patients. Dr. Dangerfield is a co-founder of Doctors International and has been intimately involved in every one of its surgical missions.
- Past Missions
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Learn More About Past Doctors International Mission Trips
2022: Guatemala
Clinical Focus: General Surgery
Doctors International was able to resume surgical missions in October of 2022. A large General Surgery Team was sent to Guatemala City to provide care for populations from the northern and western highlands. Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the backlog of patients in need of surgery has increased. The team successfully completed approximately 75 cases and screened 100 patients.
2020 & 2021: Guatemala
Clinical Focus : Coronavirus
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Doctors International was unable to provide surgical care. In lieu of surgical missions, Doctors International allocated all mission funds to Coronavirus relief efforts in Guatemala. These funds supported essential Coronavirus relief to in need populations.
2019: Guatemala
Clinical Focus: Surgery & Urology
In the fall of 2019, a multidisciplinary team of surgeons and urologist traveled to Guatemala to help care for the underserved population in need of General and Urologic surgery. In addition to evaluating over 110 patients, the team successfully performed approximately 75 much needed operations.
2018: Guatemala
Clinical Focus: General Surgery
In October 2018, Doctors International completed a one week mission comprising of 3 General Surgery Operative teams. These teams provided surgical care to the underserved population, many of which have been waiting months to years.
2017: Guyana
Clinical Focus: Urology & Surgery
In November 2017, the Department of Urology and the Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine deployed a team of attending physicians and residents to help address the backlog of urologic procedures and teach surgical and anesthesiology residents some methods and procedures to help them care for these patients.
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2016: Guatemala
Clinical Focus: General Surgery
In October 2016, Doctors International returned to Guatemala. This one week General Surgery mission provided surgical care to the underserved population of Guatemala. Over 100 patients were evaluated over 70 cases were successfully performed. The 20 person surgical team partenered with in-country providers to provide pre-operative, operative, and postoperative care.
2015: Guatemala
Clinical Focus: General Surgery
In the Fall of 2015, Doctors International completed a mission in Guatemala. This one week mission involved over 20 team menbers providing surgical care to the underserved population in Guatemala. The team evaluated over 100 patients and successfully ran three full operating rooms and performed approximately 75 operations in one week.
2014: Guyana
Clinical Focus: Gynecologic, Urologic and General Surgery
In November 2014, Doctors international completed a mission at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) and West Demerara Regional Hospital in Guyana. This one-week mission included our GW Doctors International team of obstetrics, urologic, general surgeons, and anesthesiology providers. Like many medical missions, this mission was done with the goal of improving the quality of care and maternal health in Guyana through education and training. Over the course of 5 days, our visiting team of providers trained and educated local providers, and conducted over 40 surgeries.
2013: Guyana
Clinical Focus on Urology & Surgery
In October 2013, Doctors International launched its first mission to Guyana, South America. Led by Drs. Vaziri and Dangerfield, a 21-member-team of surgeons, surgical residents, anesthesiologists, nurses, surgical techs and a public health specialist spent the week seeing patients, conducting surgeries and educating healthcare providers at Guyana’s Georgetown Public Hospital and West Demerara Hospital. In addition, the team worked with the Ministry of Health performing health education outreach for the public.
