In September 2022, the Israeli Medical Association welcomed Dr. Jose Baruco, Secretary General of the Panamanian Ministry of Health to Israel. Accompanying Dr. Baruco on his tour was H.E. Adis Urietta Vega, Panamanian Ambassador to Israel, and members of the IMA’s Physician’s Exchange Program management.

On September 12^th, Professor Arnon Afek, Associate Director General and Acting Director of Sheba General Hospital and Chairman of the Israeli Medical Association’s World Fellowship, welcomed Dr. Baruco to Sheba to meet with the Panamanian residents on the program and their heads of departments.  After meeting with the residents, Dr. Baruco enjoyed a tour of the ARC Innovation Center and MSR (Israel Center for Medical Simulation) facilities at Sheba. Dr. Baruco was also given a personal tour of the neurosurgery department by Dr. Jose Asprilla and Dr. Diana Bolivar (Panamanian Physician’s Exchange Program 2021 and 2019, respectively), where Dr. Baruco was able to witness groundbreaking techniques in the treatment of tremors.

On September 14^th, Dr. Baruco visited Rabin Medical Center-Beilinson Hospital where he met with the Panamanian residents/fellows on the program and their heads of departments. Dr. Baruco was also able to visit some of the departments including anesthesia, where Professor Leonid Eidelman (former President of the World Medical Association and Israeli Medical Association), gave him a personal tour.

On September 18^th, Dr. Baruco went to Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem, where he met with Dr. Katherine Matos (Panamanian Physician’s Exchange Program 2019), a resident in the ophthalmologic department, the deputy head of department, Prof. Jaime Levy, and other key members of staff and management at Hadassah