Gynecologic SURGRETE, New Horizons Guyana 2019: An Experience of a Lifetime for Global Health Engagement and Medical Readiness

New Horizons is an annual training exercise designated for military medical professionals and civil engineers to assist partner nations of Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), as well as provide exceptional training to U.S. military members.1 In Spring of 2019, a gynecologic surgery readiness training exercise (SURGRETE) team composed of 16 joint-service military healthcare professionals, specifically including a fellowship-trained female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery (FPMRS) surgeon, an FPMRS fellow, an obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) specialist, three OB/GYN residents, and additional anesthesia, nursing, and surgical technician support, traveled to Guyana to participate in the New Horizons global health exercise. The mission of the SURGRETE team was to perform patient evaluations, surgeries, and postoperative care at Linden Mackenzie Hospital in Upper Demerara-Berbice, Region 10, Guyana, from May 21 to June 8, 2019. The primary goal was to train military healthcare professionals in the operating room (OR) under austere conditions, promote military readiness, and demonstrate the requirements to have a successful surgical mission. In addition, we sought to build a partnership and help the local community of Linden with surgeries that may not have otherwise been possible.