Dr. Daniel Chu recently attended the Taiwan Surgical Association's 2019 annual meeting in Taipei, March 16-17, at the city's National Defense Medical Center.

The Division of Gastrointestinal Surgery’s Daniel Chu, M.D., traveled to Taipei last month for the Taiwan Surgical Association’s 2019 annual meeting. Surgeons and scientists from all over the world attended the two-day event at the National Defense Medical Center in Taipei, March 16-17, making it the largest meeting of its kind in Taiwan.

As the 2018 recipient of the Association for Academic Surgery and Taiwan Surgical Association’s International Visiting Professorship Award, Chu received funding to attend this year’s TSA meeting, while serving as a visiting representative for the AAS.

As the AAS representative, Chu had the opportunity to present his findings on surgical disparities and health literacy at the meeting and noted the parallels between his own research in the U.S. and similar studies being conducted in Taiwan.

“The audience was very engaged,” Chu said. “Many of the same challenges that we grapple with when dealing with this kind of research in the United States also exist in Taiwan.”

Chu was also asked to give additional talks on his research later in the week at National Taiwan University, after the institution’s chair of surgery, Chiun-Sheng Huang, M.D., Ph.D., MPH, was intrigued by Chu’s presentation at the TSA meeting.

“Dr. Huang was in the TSA audience during my AAS lecture and wanted his staff to learn more about surgical disparities, health literacy and mentorship,” Chu said. “Dr. Huang and his staff were gracious hosts, and I was able to meet many faculty, trainees and students, while also touring the historic facility. This opportunity was particularly special to me because my father graduated from National Taiwan University.”

Chu praised the program’s speakers and its organizers, including TSA President Cheng-Kuei Chang, Ph.D., Heng-Wei Liu, M.D., and Fan-Ting Laio, M.D., as well as American College of Surgeons President Ronald V. Maier, M.D., FACS, who delivered the meeting’s keynote address.

“Many thanks also go to the TSA and its members who welcomed me,” Chu said. “My family was warmly welcomed, as well, and we were all invited to the annual TSA banquet, which included both a 10-course traditional Taiwanese menu and on-stage karaoke. It was incredible and quite a different experience.”

Chu said he is grateful for this experience and encourages others to consider applying for international fellowships.

“My visit to Taiwan was professionally and personally fulfilling and would not have been possible without the generous support of the AAS and its vision in establishing international partnerships,” Chu said. “My advice to colleagues is to apply for this wonderful opportunity and others like this.”

Chu @ TSA 2019 - Curated tweets by UABSurgery