Thanks to new ties of friendship forged by physicians at Princeton Baptist Medical Center in Birmingham and longstanding Baptist work in Asia, medical work on the other side of the globe will get a boost.
The first two cardiologists arrived recently from China to observe state-of-the-art interventional cardiovascular procedures in research and in practice at Princeton, Baptist Health System’s (BHS) flagship hospital.
Others will take their place about every six months.
Gary Fisher, director of church and faith relations at BHS, described a link between Wuzhou and BHS, a ministry of Birmingham Baptist Association.
“Southern Baptist missionary Dr. William Wallace practiced at Wuzhou Hospital between 1935 and 1950. When the Communists came to power, they took over the hospital and he was arrested,” he said. “Dr. Wallace remained in prison there for the remainder of his life. Some of the other physicians who practiced at Wuzhou fled to Pusan (now Busan) in South Korea and established Wallace Memorial Baptist Hospital.”
For many years, BHS has maintained a longstanding friendship with the South Korean hospital.
When Fisher and BHS board chairman Wayne Pate visited the hospital a few years ago, the friendship was renewed with plans to increase exchanges between the two organizations.
During that same visit, Pate and Fisher visited the Hope Clinic, a ministry of the Southern Baptist Association in Macau, a special administrative region of China.
“For 10 years, the clinic had tried unsuccessfully to arrange training opportunities at an American hospital for physicians from mainland China,” Fisher said.
Learning of the exchanges between Wallace Memorial and BHS, it asked to participate.
A decision by Birmingham Association to expand its existing Asian study program made additional support available and the clinic’s request possible.
That expansion plus the growing recognition of Princeton’s research in heart disease and the ties of cardiologist Farrell O. Mendelsohn to China made the Asian exchange a reality.
“Because of our work in angiogenesis and interventional cardiovascular medicine with carotid, peripheral and coronary intervention, our reputation has spread internationally,” said Mendelsohn, who is director of angiogenesis research at Princeton.
“There is a growing epidemicof cardiovascular disease in China … as well as a growing pool of interventional cardiologists who want to get a world-class training experience.”
Similar to a fellowship, the training includes interventional cardiac procedures, heart failure research and angiogensis research.
“During their time at Princeton, they will observe the full gamut of cardiovascular procedures but also experience the welcoming environment of the Chinese-American church community here in Birmingham,” he said.
The Korean Church, which meets at Southside Baptist Church, Birmingham, will also offer assistance to and welcome the visiting physicians.
“We have volunteer translators from the church,” Fisher said.
Depending on the length of the visit, the physicians of the Asian exchange may stay on campus in the hotellike accommodations of the Princeton guest rooms or in nearby renovated homes provided by the hospital, Fisher said.
“This program is designed as a medical outreach program,” Mendelsohn said. “It’s both a spiritual mission and a medical learning experience for Chinese physicians.
“We’ll share what we think is a spiritual light here at Princeton, while trying to advance learning and skills with these physicians. They’ll then return home to treat their countrymen with state-of-the-art, first-class cardiovascular care.” (PBMC)
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