Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) is a telementoring program developed by Dr. Sanjeev Arora, Professor of Medicine (Gastroenterology/Hepatology) at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center. ECHO began as a response to a Hepatitis C outbreak in New Mexico. Community providers were not comfortable treating HCV and patients in rural areas were not able to travel to University clinics. Identified primary care providers from 16 rural clinics and 5 prisons in New Mexico.

Project ECHO, Changing the World Fast

With support from MD Anderson Cancer Center in Texas, USA, IGCS began utilizing the Project ECHO model to conduct virtual tumor boards with trainees as part of the Global Curriculum & Mentorship Program. The first ECHO Clinic was held in July 2017 with the Da Nang Oncology Hospital in Vietnam. Ellen Baker, MD, MD Anderson Cancer Center travelled to Da Nang with Tri Dinh, MD to facilitate the first session.

In late 2017 IGCS expanded Project ECHO and held the first session with the Belarusian Society of Oncology, a Strategic Alliance Partnership member. Each Project ECHO session is 1 hour in length with 45 minutes of case presentations and a 15 minute didactic lecture.

The sessions are held by videoconference utilizing Zoom technology. A wifi connection is required. Each ECHO clinic has an IGCS member facilitating the session along with other volunteer leaders who act as Faculty Consultants, providing their expert opinions on the cases. IGCS members also provide the didactic lectures. The goal is to create a multidisciplinary team of IGCS participants for each ECHO Clinic that includes gynecologic oncologists, pathologists, and radiation oncologists.

If you would like to get involved with Project ECHO as a facilitator, Faculty Consultant, or would be interested in giving a didactic lecture for a session, please email susan.ralph@igcs.org.

IGCS Global Curriculum Training Sites

  • Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute & KolGo Trg Kolgata West Bengal, India
    Civil Service Hospital, Nepal
  • Colonial War Memorial Hospital, Fiji
  • Da Nang Oncology Hospital, Vietnam
  • Hamad Medical Corporation Women’s Hospital, Qatar
  • Hospital San Juan de Dios, Guatemala
  • Maputo Central Hospital, Mozambique (held in Portuguese)
  • Moi University, Kenya
  • St. Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College and Black Lion Hospital, Ethiopia
  • The University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital
  • Uganda Cancer Institute
  • University of the West Indies Jamaica
  • University of the West Indies Bahamas
  • Women & Newborn Hospital, Zambia
  • University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku-Ozalla, Enugu, Nigeria

Strategic Alliance Partner ECHO Clinics

  • Association of Oncologists of the Republic of Kazakhstan
  • Association of Oncologists of Uzbekistan
  • Belarusian Society of Oncology
  • Middle East and Mediterranean Association of Gynecologic Oncologists
  • Pan-Arabian Research Society for Gynecologic Oncology
  • Russian Reproductive Tumors Society
  • Society of Gynecolgoic Oncologists of the Philippines

Mentorship and training with Announcements


Read the latest stories and news about IGCS’ mentorship and training initiatives.

Global Fellowship Program Impact Report

We are proud to share the Annual Impact Report for the International Gynecologic Cancer Society’s Global Gynecologic Oncology Fellowship Program. See just how impactful our flagship program has been in training gynecologic oncology specialists in regions of the world that urgently need skilled professionals.

Featured

Global Gynecologic Oncology Fellowship Program News

Congratulations to the following Fellows for completing the IGCS Gynecologic Oncology Global Curriculum & Mentorship Program!

CEO Message

MIS Training Program

The Advanced Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) Training Program offers an opportunity for surgeons specializing in gynecologic oncology to acquire advanced skills in laparoscopy. This six-month program is supported by the Nezhat Family Foundation. Meet the first trainees.

Featured

Preinvasive Disease "Train the Trainers" Course

The IGCS “train the trainers” course on colposcopy, LEEP, and concepts in cervical cancer prevention for African countries was hosted in Mozambique in July 2023. Read on to learn how this training is improving women’s cancer care in Africa.

Member Spotlight

Radiation Oncology Consortium

IGCS has joined a consortium with several specialized organizations to formalize and strengthen radiotherapy education and training for gynecologic radiation oncology specialists in LMICs. The consortium is currently developing criteria for site selection to ensure participants have the facilities necessary to implement radiotherapy techniques safely and consistently.

CEO Message

President's Message: Early Career

IGCS President, Prof. Keiichi Fujiwara shares the importance of teaching the next generation of gynecologic oncologists. “We must continue to prepare those who are just starting out in their careers — they are the future of this great Society.”

Mentorship & Training

Leave a Reply