Skip to main content.

Kovac International Observership Award

The Kovac International Observership Award connects people through exchange. Through the Kovac Fund, we have seen tremendous activity and a growth in our collaborations in global health.

The Kovac International Observership Award fund provides awards for qualified individuals participating in international cross-cultural educational exchanges facilitated by the Office of International Programs at KU Medical Center. The award is used for the purpose of international medical observership, education and research.

The Kovac International Observership Award allows qualified individuals to participate in a two-week exchange at the KU Medical Center's Department of Anesthesiology.

Preferences will be given to anesthesiologist residents and/or doctors from Peru and Ghana, KU Medical Center anesthesiology residents, nurse anesthesia and medical students and KU Medical Center students going to Ghana.

Recipients will be awarded varying amounts depending on the financial situation of the individual recipient (employed at KU Medical Center versus student paying tuition) and the availability of funds. Recipients shall be selected from the criteria established in the Office of International Programs.

Growth in Collaborations

Through Dr. Kovac's tireless efforts of connecting people and supporting exchange through the Kovac Fund, we have seen tremendous activity and growth in our collaborations in global health. The educational exchanges and the number of individuals who are impacted by the exchanges at KU Medical Center, Instituto Nacional de Enfermades Neoplasticas and Kompfo Anoche Teaching Hospital are instrumental in promoting cultural exposure, mutualism, inclusion and the celebration of differences.

During Dr. Kovac's time in Ghana and Peru, he forged agreements and met with administrators and faculty to build the platform for our KU Medical Center community to engage. Also during his time in Ghana and Peru, he taught courses at Instituto Nacional de Enfermades Neoplasticas (INEN), National Peru Cancer Hospital, Lima, Peru, at Kompfo Anoche Teaching Hospital (KATH), Kumasi, Ghana.

Agreements Established and Signed

  • Instituto Nacional de Enfermades Neoplasticas (INEN), Lima, Peru
    • Instituto Nacional de Salud del Ninos San Borja (INSNSB), Lima, Peru
    • Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), Kumasi, Ghana
    • Instituto Nacional Materno Perinatal, Lima, Peru

Agreements in progress

  • Peru National Cardiovascular Institute (INCOR), Lima, Peru
Past Experiences and Activity

January

  • Dr. Urquizo visit to KUMC

February

  • Samantha Sanders, CRNA student

February

  • Dr. Kovac, to INEN and INSNSB, Peru to facilitate student IEEs
  • Meetings with Instituto Nacional Materno Perinatal, Lima, Peru and Peru National Cardiovascular Institute (INCOR), Lima, Peru

February

March

  • Dr. Akwasi Anti-Kusi, chair Anesthesiology, KATH, Ghana to KU Medical Center
    • Presented to KU Medical Center community, "Challenges of Anesthesia Practice in a Low Resource Area."
  • Dr. Anthony Kovac and Dr. Marty DeRuyder, KU Medical Center professor, to Peru for the National Peru Anesthesiology Resident Meeting "III Congreso Naciaonal de Residentes de Anestesiolgia"

April

  • Student IEEs to Peru
    • Tess Hoerle, M4 KC
    • Sarah Moore, M4 KC

Summer

July

  • Dr. Diana Pachenco Briceno, from INEN, Peru, at KU Medical Center for the Kovac International Observership Program
  • Dr. Irene Bandoh, from KATH, Ghana, at KU Medical Center for the Kovac International Observership Program
  • Dr. Lidia Rosario Matos Camayo, from Peru Society of Anesthesiology at KU Medical Center for International Observership
  • Dr. Jonathan Grover Perez Hurtado, from Peru Society of Anesthesiology at KU Medical Center for International Observership

September

  • Paramedic training for Ghana Ambulance Service

February

  • Special Program at KU Medical Center: Ghanaian Emergency Medicine at KU Medical Center, Kansas Cit, KS, and Johnson County Community College (sponsored by KU Medical Center and supported by the Kovac Fund)
    • Dr. Ahmed Zakariah, Consultant in Intensive Care Medicine, CEO Ghana Ambulance Service
    • Dr. Maxwell Osei-Ampofo, Deputy Coordinator, Ashanti Region, National Ambulance Service, Emergency Physician
    • Dr. Alfred Aidoo, Resident Physician in Anesthesiology

Guests presented to the KU Medical Center community on the History of EMS in Ghana.

February

May

  • Dr. Kovac to INEN, Peru

June

  • Dr. Karen Schell, KU Medical Center faculty Respiratory Care, to KATH, Ghana

August

  • Dr. Jose Medina, from INEN, Peru, at KU Medical Center for the Kovac International Observership Program
  • Dr. Anastasia Abena Ohene, from KATH, Ghana, at KU Medical Center for the Kovac International Observership Program
  • Dr. Karina Vega Caldas, from Peru Society of Anesthesiology at KU Medical Center for International Observership
  • Dr. Darberth Carbajal Benites, from Peru Society of Anesthesiology at KU Medical Center for International Observership

All presented to the KU Medical Center community on anesthesiology practices in their countries.

September

  • Dr. Kovac to KATH, Ghana
  • Dr. Paul Bennetts, KU Medical Center Nurse Anethesia Faculty to KATH, Ghana
  • Student IEEs to Ghana
    • Phillip Kwetey, CRNA student
    • Rebekah Wiebelhaus, CRNA student
  • Dr. Anthony Kovac to INEN, Peru

October

  • Dr. Anthony Kovac, to KATH, Ghana

February

  • Dr. Anthony Kovac to KATH, Ghana, taught Basic Airway Evaluation and Management with Endotracheal Intubation Workshop "Kompfo Anoche Teaching Hospital (KATH), Kumasi, Ghana
  • Student IEEs to Ghana

April

August

  • Dr. Luis Orbegoso, from INEN, Peru, at KU Medical Center for the Kovac International Observership Program
  • Dr. Obiageli Ofungwu, from KATH, Ghana, at KU Medical Center for the Kovac International Observership Program
    • Both presented to KU Medical Center community and on anesthesiology practices in Peru and Ghana.

September

  • Dr. Richard Korentager, KU Medical Center Chair, Plastic Surgery, to INSNSB, Peru

October

  • Resident to Ghana for IEE
    • Dr. Bryce Homgren, anesthesiology department

November

  • Resident to Ghana for IEE
    • Dr. Hana Reissner, OBGYN department

July

  • Dr. Dalia Cantuarias, from INEN, Peru, at KU Medical Center for Kovac International Observership Program, presented to KU Medical Center community on anesthesiology practices in Peru.

November

  • Dr. Anthony Kovac to INEN, Peru, taught "A Difficult Airway Course: Fiberoptic and Videolaryngoscopic Intubation"
  • Student IEEs to INEN, Peru
  • Sam Morales, CRNA student

September

  • Dr. Anthony Kovac to INEN, Peru, taught "A Difficult Airway Course: Fiberoptic and Videolaryngoscopic Intubation"

Observership Recipients

2016

Dr. Delia Cantuarias, from INEN, Lima, Peru.

2017

Dr. Luis Orbegoso, from INEN, Lima, Peru.
Dr. Obiageli Ofungwu, from KATH, Accra, Ghana.

2018

Dr. Jose Medina, from INEN, Lima, Peru
Dr. Anastasia Abena Ohene, from KATH, Accra, Ghana,
Dr. Karina Vega Caldas, from Peru Society of Anesthesiology, Lima, Peru
Dr. Darberth Carbajal Benites, from Peru Society of Anesthesiology, Lima, Peru

2019

Dr. Diana Pachenco Briceno, from INEN, Lima, Peru
Dr. Irene Bandoh, from KATH, Accra, Ghana
Dr. Lidia Rosario Matos Camayo, from Peru Society of Anesthesiology, Lima, Peru
Dr. Jonathan Grover Perez Hurtado, from Peru Society of Anesthesiology, Lima, Peru
Elizabet Pena, BN, from INEN, Lima, Peru

Academic and Student Affairs

University of Kansas Medical Center
Office of International Programs
1017, 1018 & 1019 Dykes
Academic Affairs
Mail Stop 3033
3901 Rainbow Boulevard
Kansas City, KS 66160