International

International
Volunteering, Learning, and Teaching

Dr. Curington has been fortunate to be able to learn from many sources. He has done medical exchanges in New Zealand, Malta, and Mexico, as well as vasectomy-specific exchanges in Canada, Thailand, Kenya, Colombia, Bolivia, Haiti, Zambia, Uganda, El Salvador and the Philippines. “From each of these experiences, I have learned so much. I am especially thankful for the teaching from Dr. Michel Labrecque, Dr. Ramon Suarez, and Dr. Douglas Stein. Each of these great vasectomists have shaped my career and helped me along in my goal to give patients the best possible vasectomy.” Dr. Curington has especially enjoyed his international volunteer work for NSVI (No-Scalpel Vasectomy International). He has participated in overseas volunteer missions to bring free no-scalpel vasectomies to responsible men who want to control family size, but have limited resources to afford vasectomy on their own. Dr. Curington also participates in and serves on the Medical Advisory Board for World Vasectomy Day.

Argentina 2024

In November 2024, Dr. John Curington was invited to Buenos Aires and La Plata to teach the gentle, no-scalpel vasectomy technique. He led an international team that included Dr. Eloisa Gonzalez from Mexico and Dr. Alex Galante from the United States. The trainees came from two groups: one sponsored by the Ministry of Health and another from a non-profit reproductive health clinic.
In addition to lectures and demonstrations, the team provided hands-on clinical training, performing over 100 free vasectomies. After two weeks of teaching, Dr. Curington, naturally, took the opportunity to explore Patagonia’s breathtaking mountain trails.

Dr. Curington, Dr. Gonzalez, and Dr. Galante with the amazing staff in La Plata.

Dr. Gonzalez enjoyed a yerba mate with the la Plata team.

Dr. Curington and Dr. Galante with the team in Buenos Aires.

Dr. Galante, Dr. Curington, and Dr. Gonzalez giving a live conference in La Plata.

Snowy peaks in Patagonia

El Salvador 2024

In October 2024, Dr. John Curington volunteered with the World Vasectomy Day team to help plant the seeds of a growing vasectomy program in El Salvador. The Salvadoran Ministry of Health hosted the program and provided dedicated support with facilities, staff, and equipment to care for the instruments. Dr. Curington, along with Dr. Michel Labrecque and Dr. Eloísa González, supervised the teaching of a group of trainees who were eager to bring the more gentle techniques to their patients in El Salvador. They started with models and progressed to patients, and by the end of the week the team had seen over 100 patients and the progressed rapidly to become independent skilled vasectomists.

Dr. John Curington and Dr. Eloísa González preparing instruments before the training in El Salvador

Dr. Erwin Alejandro Amaya Siliézar, Dr. John Curington, Dra. Eloisa Gonzalez Gonzalez, Dr. Michel Labrecque, Dr. Luis Arturo Ventura Cruz and Dr. Samuel David Diaz Vegas in Cojutepeque, El Salvador.

Dr. John Curington with Salvadoran physicians.

Dr. John Curington with a few of the fantastic staff in El Salvador.

Dr. Michel Labrecque demonstrating technique using a latex model.

Our gracious host, Dr. Nora Idalia Artíga de Martínez, Director of the Hospital Nacional “Nuestra Señora de Fátima” de Cojutepeque.

Uganda 2024

In the summer of 2024, Dr. John Curington traveled again to Africa with the World Vasectomy Day team, this time to Uganda. Dr. Curington ran a week-long teaching experience for three young physicians in the art of the gentle, no-scalpel vasectomy. “I so much enjoyed sharing what I have learned from so many teachers and places.”

Dr. Curington started off the session with a talk about doing the most effective, most gentle vasectomy possible – based on evidence from studies around the world. One of the best parts of the talk was the gathering of Ugandan physicians – both those who do vasectomies already and those who are learning. This interchange of ideas from Ungandan to Ugandan makes makes everyone’s technique better.

The clinical teaching was hosted by Marie Stopes Uganda, a non-profit clinic that specializes in contraception and reproductive health care.

In between patients, we reviewed fine points and practiced hand positions using a realistic training model developed by Michel Labrecque at the University of Laval in Québec.

And of course when visiting Uganda, it’s practically obligatory to hike in the rainforest and appreciate the magnificent wildlife. The Ugandan government is doing an excellent job of preserving the habitat of the mountain gorillas and protecting them against poachers.

Bolivia 2023

Dr. John Curington and World Vasectomy Day team were invited to Bolivia to teach a group of five young Bolivian physicians the art of the gentle no-scalpel vasectomy.

Dr. John Curington and Dr. Michel Labrecque with Dr. Claudia Marisol Huaygua Pacheco and trainees.

We started the teaching by speaking with multiple media outlets to let patients know about the program. Here Dr. John Curington speaks with the host on radio 104.8 in Santa Cruz, Bolivia.

We also met with Bolivian physicians and medical students. Here Dr. John Curington is giving a talk and the Faculty of Sciences at at UAGRM (the University Gabriel Moreno) in Santa Cruz, Bolivia.

Dr. Curington worked behind the scenes with the super capable Bolivian staff to make sure the equipment was maintained and ready for teaching.

Dr. John Curington with nursing students at CIES in Santa Cruz, Bolivia.

Dr. John Curington with the amazing support staff from World Vasectomy Day.

Dr. Connie Juanez Delgadillo uses a scrotal model to review her progress with the no-scalpel vasectomy.

Here Dr. Claudia Marisol Huaygua Pacheco uses a scrotal model from the University of Laval to teach no-scalpel vasectomy.

Here Dr. Esgar Guarin and Dr. John Curington chat with nursing students about the fine points of no-scalpel vasectomy.

While in Bolivia, Dr. John Curington was named the “Doctor of the Year” for his work with training young physicians across several continents.

Zambia 2023

Dr. John Curington and Dr. Michel Labrecque were invited to teach the gentle no-scalpel vasectomy technique to a dedicated group of physicians who work in urology and reproductive health in Lusaka, the capital city of Zambia.

Dr. John Curington demonstrating the gentle, no-scalpel vasectomy technique using a training model in Lusaka.

“Team Vasectomy” at Marie Stopes Lusaka for vasectomy training

Dr. John Curington at the Marie Stopes clinic in Zambia

Dr. John Curington sharing technique with a colleague in Lusaka, Zambia

Thailand 2022

Dr. John Curington traveled to Thailand with the World Vasectomy Day team to share information about vasectomy at the ICFP (the International Conference in Family Planning). Along with his colleague, Alison Hoover, MPH, Dr. Curington presented a talk called “Testicle Festival: FAQs on vasectomies and building successful vasectomy programs.” They also presented a poster presentation about training vasectomy providers in Bolivia.

“Testicle Festival” presentation at the ICFP in Thailand

John Curington MD and Alison Hoover MPH at their poster session at ICFP in Thailand

Dr. Nick Demediuk and Dr. John Curington demonstrate vasectomy on a model to a colleague at ICFP in Thailand

Alison Hoover MPH and John Curington MD on stage at the ICFP in Thailand

Bolivia 2021

Dr. John Curington and Dr. Michel Labrecque were invited to La Paz, the capital of Bolivia, to teach a group of young physicians how to perform gentle, quick, minimally-invasive vasectomy. The two senior trainers were hosted by MSI (Marie Stopes International), a global non-profit that provides contraception for millions of people across the world.

Dr. John Curington performs a vasectomy while being filmed for a promotional video.

Dr. John Curington speaks about vasectomy during a press conference.

vasectomy model for teaching gentle procedures

young physicians and clinic leaders learning the gentle no-scalpel vasectomy

Dr. John Curington speaking about the benefits of vasectomy

Dr. John Curington doing an open-air interview about vasectomy in La Paz

cheerful Bolivian vasectomy team sharing chocolate after long day of training

Colombia 2019

Dr. John Curington and Dr. Doug Stein traveled to Bogota, Colombia as part of a team with NSVI (No-Scalpel Vasectomy International) and WVD (World Vasectomy Day). Dr. Curington and Dr. Stein delivered talks at the University of Los Andes, as well as working with physicians from around the world to teach and promote the gentle, no-scalpel vasectomy technique for the benefit of men and families in South America.