June, 2025

Dear Friends,

Each month, I’m reminded of the power of connection—between health professionals, across borders, and with supporters like you. From clinical training workshops to capacity-building initiatives, our work is rooted in the belief that sustainable change comes through partnership. None of it would be possible without your commitment.

Thank you for standing with us in this important work. We hope these updates inspire and affirm the impact we’re creating—together.

Sincerely,

April

April Pinner, MSPH, RD

Executive Director

The HVO Blog

Reflections from 2025 Golden Apple Honoree Dr. Katharine Lowndes

Hematologist Dr. Katharine Lowndes shares her HVO experiences. Read more

Volunteering with HVO for the First Time: Teaching Nurses in Vietnam

Vanessa Teed and Kristin Ferguson traveled to Vietnam to share their nursing expertise. Read more

Teaching and Learning in Guatemala 

Madeline Hines, DPT reflects on her assignment training physical therapists in Guatemala. Read more

Advancing Pediatric Nephrology Care

Dr. Larry Greenbaum shared his pediatric nephrology expertise with colleagues in Cambodia and Laos. Read more

Scholarship

The HVO Orthopaedic Educational Scholarship funds the professional development of orthopaedic surgeons and senior orthopaedic residents from HVO project sites. This scholarship supports health workers in resource-scarce countries by enabling them to pursue educational opportunities that support building local capacity.

To qualify for the Orthopaedic Educational Scholarship, applicants must: 

• Work or study at an overseas HVO project site
• Be at the senior resident level or higher 
• Have an identified training opportunity
• Funding opportunities include, but are not limited to, professional meetings, workshops, or other training opportunities that impact the quality of community health care

Submission Process and Deadlines:

Applications are reviewed twice a year. The first deadline is June 30, 2025.

All scholars will be required to submit a short report within 30 days of completion of the project outlining the experience and lessons learned. Any returned scholar who does not submit a report will not qualify for additional HVO funding. Additionally, scholars will be asked to submit a second report within six months outlining how the knowledge they obtained has been applied.  

APPLY FOR THE SCHOLARSHIP HERE

If you have any questions about the HVO Orthopaedic Educational Scholarship, please contact us.

Volunteers In Action

We are halfway through the year! Here are just a few moments captured so far of the HVO community in action. 

Seeking Proposals For Long-Term Volunteer Projects

The Feinberg Fellowship is an HVO initiative supporting projects that require volunteers to be on-site for 3-6 months. The site proposes a project to HVO, and, once approved, HVO recruits volunteers and provides airfare and a small stipend. If you are an on-site coordinator, project director, or volunteer who knows of a need that could be met by a long-term volunteer and would like to discuss starting a project, please contact Lisa Vu, Director of Programs.

Volunteer Opportunities

Anesthesia, Cambodia is recruiting in-person volunteers with expertise in pain management, diabetes mellitus, and rheumatic disease. Interested volunteers should contact Natalie Cary.

Internal Medicine, Nepal is recruiting in-person volunteers with expertise in general medicine topics and specialties including hematology, rheumatology, POCUS, and leadership training. Interested volunteers should contact Natalie Cary.

Nursing Education, Laos is recruiting wound care nurses with burn treatment experience for in-person assignments. Interested volunteers should contact Emily Dalton.

Nursing Education, Uganda is recruiting virtual volunteers to assist with curriculum development for masters’ programs and in-person volunteers to provide training in emergency care and pediatrics. Interested volunteers should contact Emily Dalton.

Nutrition, Cambodia is recruiting dedicated health care professionals, including dietitians, nurses, nurse practitioners, speech language pathologists, physician assistants, doctors, and other relevant clinicians with expertise in diabetes, lactation, feeding skills, oncology nutrition, gastroenterology, children with neurodevelopmental disabilities, and more. Volunteers are needed for both virtual and in-person assignments. Interested volunteers should contact Lauren Franklin.

Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vietnam is recruiting in-person volunteers with expertise in prenatal medicine, obstetric emergencies, gynecologic infection, endocrinology, infertility, and assisted reproduction. Interested volunteers should contact Natalie Cary.

Rehabilitation, Ghana is recruiting in-person volunteers with backgrounds in cancer rehabilitation. Interested volunteers should contact Emily Dalton.