Rana Pullatt, MD FACS FASMBS DABS-FPMBS
Chair & BOD Liaison
Rami Lutfi, MD FASMBS
Co-Chair
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
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
Wah Yang, MD
Peng Zhang, MD PhD
Francisco Guzman, MD
IFSO Past President:
Natan Zundel, MD, FASMBS
IFSO Coordinator:
Samer Mattar, MD, FASMBS
IFSO President:
Kelvin Higa, MD, FASMBS
IFSO President-Elect:
Jacques Himpens, 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.
Rationale: This objective expands the society’s global reach and fosters diversity within the membership base, enriching the exchange of ideas and perspectives.
- Enhance experience for international members.
Rationale: This objective strengthens international members’ engagement with ASMBS, fostering a sense of belonging, and promoting long-term membership retention.
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.
- Rationale: This goal strengthens ASMBS’s global presence and promotes cultural diversity within the society, enriching collaboration and knowledge exchange, to ensure broader representation and perspectives and the committee’s ability to address the needs of international members. Offering applications in multiple languages improves accessibility and inclusivity, facilitates engagement with international members, and promotes global participation in ASMBS.
- Increase attendance at ASMBS Annual Meetings from other countries.
Rationale: This goal enhances the diversity of perspectives and expertise at ASMBS events, enriches educational opportunities, and fosters global networking and collaboration.
- Manage Awards for Best International Presenters: Oversee all aspects of the awards process, including budgeting, logistics, and selection criteria.
Rationale: This goal enhances presenters’ engagement with ASMBS events, promotes knowledge sharing, and elevates the profile of international contributions in the field.
- Develop criteria for US sites hosting visiting international surgeons and create a listing on the ASMBS website facilitating exchanges between US and international surgeons.
Rationale: This goal promotes knowledge exchange, fosters collaboration, and enhances the professional development of visiting international surgeons.
- Collaborate with international organizations to conduct co-sponsored international courses.
Rationale: This goal enhances educational opportunities, promotes knowledge exchange, and strengthens partnerships in advancing metabolic and bariatric surgery worldwide.
- Create standardized training guidelines for global bariatric surgery.
Rationale: This goal promotes consistency and quality in bariatric surgery training worldwide, enhances patient safety and outcomes, and contributes to the advancement of the field on a global scale.
Apply to Join a Committee
