On June 15th, 2008, two surgeons from Viet Duc University Hospital in Hanoi, the largest trauma hospital in Vietnam, arrived on Long Island for an 8 week obser­vation and study program at Good Samaritan Hospital in West Islip. The Lindenhurst Rotary Club is sponsoring this pioneering humanitarian project. Doctor Nguyen Duc Chinh and Dr. Nguyen Quang are currently observing in the ER at Good Samaritan in order to become familiar with state-of-the-art American EMS technology as well as organization. The knowledge that they will learn during their visit will enable EMS teams in Hanoi to respond to emergencies more efficiently, thereby saving the lives of future trauma victims. Every year in Vietnam nearly 20,000 people are killed by injuries they have suffered. Many die from serious trauma injuries and lack of first aid due to the shortage of trained EMS personnel and EMS vehicles to bring them to the nearest hospital. Viet Duc doctors and members of the Vietnamese government are very concerned about this growing trend in the rapidly-expanding Vietnamese economy. The doctors are staying in an apartment in Lindenhurst Village, thanks to the generosity of Reverend Paul Milholland, pastor of St. John's Lutheran Church in Lindenhurst. In addition to their work at Good Samaritan , they are particularly interested in learning about our American culture, and Lindenhurst Rotary members have planned numerous events to assist them in this endeavor. The doctors have already visited Bower Elementary School in Lindenhurst where Rotary member and teacher Maria Bohrer arranged for them to address the students in Mrs. Patty Swanson's 5th grade class. This was an exhilarating experience for the doctors who were delighted to answer the precocious children's many questions about Vietnam. In addition to observing at Good Samaritan Hospital in West Islip, Long Island, New York, arrangements have been made for the doctors to observe at Stony Brook University Medical Center on Long Island and Weill Medical College of Cornell University/New York Presbyterian hospital in New York City. When they are not observing, the doctors have been invited to see a professional baseball game and to visit Fire Island, the North Fork, the Hamptons and New York City. Rotary hopes that they will take home with them many fond memories of Long Island and its friendly people.

Dr. Nguyen Duc Chinh and Dr. Nguyen Quang with Bower El­ementary School teacher Mrs. Patty Swanson and her 5th grade class. Dr. Nguyen Duc Chinh and Dr. Nguyen Quang with ER Medical staff at Good Samaritan Hospital.