Peru

The Los Angeles Society of Pathologists (LASOP) has an Education Foundation that offers sabbatical training opportunities for pathologists in developing counties. This Foundation has supported pathologists from Bhutan and Sri Lanka to obtain continued education in specialized areas of interest in various training facilities in the Los Angeles area.

In 2008 they selected Dr. Arturo Rafael Heredia from Peru as the recipient of their training grant. Dr. Heredia plans to take his sabbatical for six months, from July to December 2008. He will spend most of his time at USC/Los Angeles County Medical Center to hone his skills in gynecologic pathology and gastrointestinal pathology.

Dr. Heredia practices as the solo histopathologist in Pucallpa. Even though Pucallpa is the second largest city in the Peruvian Amazon region, they did not have on-site histopathology service up until two years ago. Dr. Heredia finished his pathology training in Lima in 2005. He relocated to Pucallpa and set up a histopathology service at the Hospital Amazónico de Yarinacocha. Over two years, he has built up the practice to 2,000 biopsies and 3,000 cytologies per year. Dr. Heredia has trained a local technician to cut the tissue but they are still processing by hand for lack of a tissue processor. Pathologists Overseas has provided him with limited support in terms of furnishing some needed equipment, however, this is hampered by the Customs red tape in Lima.

While Dr. Heredia was away on his sabbatical, we provided volunteer pathologists to maintain his service. The hospital administration had agreed to provide on site accommodation for our volunteers in the staff quarters that Dr. Heredia had been staying in.