PRESS RELEASE

Thursday 6 July 2023

The NoDE’s Shadowing Program “Become a doctor’s shadow” has already been an invaluable experience for the first group of students of the current school year, having provided them with a unique opportunity to gain first-hand experience in the medical field. The program takes place at HYGEIA Hospital 6 weeks per year with additional activities also being carried out at our own SIMULATION CENTER and at ISLE Academy, thanks to all of our esteemed partners and contributors who make the implementation of such a unique program achievable.

Each group of students has the incomparable opportunity to follow groups of surgical and non-surgical specialties in their daily activities at HYGEIA hospital as well as to come into a first exciting contact with the fascinating experience of laparoscopic and/or robotic simulation techniques, within the framework of a program lasting for a total of one week.

Moreover, this program can foster a better understanding of the physician-patient relationship, ethical issues in medicine, the interdisciplinary team approach, and the overall workflow in a hospital setting. Additionally, students can develop an appreciation for the challenges and rewards that come with a career in medicine.

In view of the commencement of summer season’s groups of the Shadowing Program, we would like to thank all the students, their parents as well as the respective education managers and competent bodies for school carrier orientation of the Municipality of Vrilissia, the Municipality of Glyfada, the IB of Moraitis School, CAMPION School, Athens College, Arsakeio Psychikou, St. Catherine’s School and Ellinogermaniki Agogi for the unparalleled interest they showed and to mention that all positions have been filled.

Considering of the previous years’ and this year’s first cycle success, the Shadowing Program “Become a doctor’s shadow” seems to hold great promise for the future. We therefore stand committed to continuing to inspire students and contributing to the edification of a dedicated and skilled scientific workforce in the healthcare industry.

Best Regards,
NoDE Institute

Newsletter #1
27 February 2021

Welcome to the first NoDE newsletter! Launched on February 27 to celebrate World NGO Day, it highlights our resolve to strengthen our ties with the scientific community and renew—in the midst of a viral pandemic—our commitment to solidarity and voluntary work.

The right to free-of-charge specialized training

In the early 2020s, developments in medicine, especially in surgery, are progressing rapidly, calling for continued training in advanced applications and cutting-edge methodologies. Unfortunately, doctors have an increasingly limited access to specialized surgical education and training.

At NoDE (Network of Doctors Education) Institute, our vision is to contribute to the dissemination and exchange of this valuable knowledge. In this way, doctors will no longer have to go abroad for post-training surgical fellowships, and patients will receive more specialized surgical care while remaining in Greece.

We firmly believe that everyone has the right to specialized education. We also believe that this training should be provided free of charge. For this reason, our work at NoDE is offered absolutely at no cost, while operating and seminar expenses are covered by donations and sponsorships from private organizations. The NoDE Institute is not a business concern and has no shareholders to generate profits for.

Programs tailored to trainee needs

Our hands-on surgical programs are designed for small groups of surgeons and tailor-built to meet specific trainee needs and requirements. These programs include:

• Colorectal Laparoscopic Surgical Skills (C.LA.S.S.) courses featuring internationally acclaimed guest speakers, expert interactive Problem Based Learning (PBL) training, live surgery, and intensive dissection labs using human cadaveric models, imported from the US. This is a complex procedure with a significant cost including the import of deep-frozen models and their subsequent care until they regain the right temperature for training purposes. NoDE is the only non-profit educational organization in Greece to systematically offer such labs.
• In-hospital training program for members of surgical departments from the public and private sector. Participants familiarize themselves with the procedure of colorectal laparoscopic surgery in an actual operating room and get in touch with all related specialties (anesthesiology, technology, nursing, postoperative follow-up, rapid recovery).
• Minimally invasive thoracic surgery with hands-on training on human cadaver models.
• Training program on the placement of peripherally inserted central catheters under ultrasound guidance at the patient’s bedside.
• Cadaveric dissection hernia course.

• Mentoring of trainees during their first dissections at their hospitals, either in person or through a digital communication platform.
• Shadowing program for Senior High School students who want to pursue a medical career.
• Simulation center equipped with next generation virtual reality simulators for minimally invasive surgery training, and 3D printer generated simulators designed and manufactured by NoDE. Two such simulators have been donated to the Venizelio Hospital of Crete.

Annual mission to Uganda with the participation of doctors, nurses and other NoDE volunteers to offer medical assistance and train colleagues on site.

Great results in short time

In the past two years, NoDE has offered 27 training programs. In 2020, despite the pandemic containment measures, our educational projects continued unabated until the lockdown thanks to the effectiveness of our hands-on seminars and the flexibility of small group training. In these two years, NoDE:

• Offered 2,332 hours of laparoscopic surgical skills training using the NoDE Institute Simulation Center’s virtual reality systems.
• Offered 1,706 hours of theoretical and hands-on training seminars.
• Educated, in small groups, 471 colleagues from the public and private sector nationwide.
• Ensured the participation of 98 guest speakers and trainers from Greece and abroad.

This strong performance in such a short period of time encourages us to continue our work with more enthusiasm and perseverance. As we navigate through 2021, we have prepared an intensive training program with plans to expand to additional specialties, such as plastic and reconstructive surgery, minimally invasive heart surgery, minimally invasive breast surgery, maxillofacial surgery, and spine surgery.

Volunteering and sponsorship: the cornerstone of NoDE’s long-term success

Thanks to the dedication and voluntary work here at NoDE, the unwavering support of the Hygeia Hospital, which provides facilities and infrastructure, and the kind sponsorship of companies and individuals, our educational programs are offered—and will always be offered—for free. Volunteerism and sponsorship safeguard the future of NoDE and enable the realization of our vision: to offer all Greek surgeons access to free specialized education and training while residing in Greece.

Learn more about our constantly updated programs at www.nodeinstitute.gr

The NoDE Institute was created to offer specialized, hands-on postgraduate surgical training. And this is what was done. In 2019, the NoDE offered:

1.  982 hours of training at the NoDE Simulation Center
2.  C.LA.S.S. Courses 2019 – an 8-day training program on Laparoscopic Colorectal Surgery
3.  PICC & PORT course for central venous access, made easy
4.  Five In-Hospital training programs on Laparoscopic Colorectal and Bariatric Surgery
5.  21 high school students in the Shadowing program for vocational guidance
6. Mission to Uganda for medical aid by a  14-member NoDE team
7. Eight Hands-on Human Cadaveric Dissection Courses on:
   •        Transanal minimally invasive surgery for rectal cancer – TaTME
   •        Thoracoscopic surgery
   •        Laparoscopic colorectal surgery
   •        Laparoscopic hernia surgery
   •        Laparoscopic upper-GI surgery

Παρακολουθήστε το πρόγραμμα που ανανεώνεται διαρκώς

A (preliminary) personal opinion based on 41 laparoscopic TaTME and 3 robottom-up TaTME:

Transanal access is facilitated. So, yes, a useful tool in narrow spaces.

More about our Seminars