International Development Committee

Rana Pullatt, MD FACS FASMBS DABS-FPMBS
Chair & BOD Liaison

Rami Lutfi, MD FASMBS
Co-Chair

Ian Soriano

Ian Soriano, MD FACS
Co-Chair

Members

Ramzi Alami, MD FACS
Dan Azagury, MD
Saeed Arefanian, MD
Moataz Bashah, MD PhD FACS FEBS FRCSG
Estuardo Behrens, MD FACS FICS FIFSO
Guilherme Campos, MD PhD FACS FASMBS
Farbod Emami Yeganeh, MD
Mousa Khoursheed, BMBCH FRCS FACS
Sheetal Nijhawan, MD FACS
Abdelrahman Nimeri, MD FACS
Alan Saber, MD FACS ABOM
Sarah Samreen, MD FACS
Siva Vithiananthan, MD FACS FICS MHCM
Peng Zhang, MD PhD
Francisco Guzman, MD

IFSO Past President:
Scott Shikora, MD FACS
IFSO President:
Gerhard Prager, MD
IFSO President-Elect:
Ricardo Cohen, MD
Ad Hoc Member – IFSO ED:
Manuela Mazzarella

ASMBS Staff Liaison

Morgan Matlock

Charge:

The International Development Committee is tasked with integrating international members from around the world into the society. The committee fosters relationships with organizations and institutions in foreign countries, facilitates collaboration, and maintains an active relationship with the International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Diseases (IFSO).

Description:

The International Development Committee’s efforts focus on developing relationships between ASMBS and international entities, fostering collaboration in advancing obesity treatment through education, research, and policy initiatives. By enhancing the international membership experience and coordinating international activities, the committee aims to promote global cooperation in the field of metabolic and bariatric surgery.

Objectives:

  • Increase membership of international members.
  • Enhance experience for international members.

Goals:

  • Coordinate with the Membership Committee to:
    • Implement targeted strategies for recruiting international members to increase membership from diverse geographic regions.
    • Offer applications in other languages to facilitate the membership process for international members.
  • Increase attendance at ASMBS Annual Meetings from other countries.
  • Manage Awards for Best International Presenters: Oversee all aspects of the awards process, including budgeting, logistics, and selection criteria.
  • Develop criteria for US sites hosting visiting international surgeons and create a listing on the ASMBS website facilitating exchanges between US and international surgeons.
  • Collaborate with international organizations to conduct co-sponsored international courses.
  • Create standardized training guidelines for global bariatric surgery.

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