Costa Rica was among the first well-known destinations for modern medical travel, dating back to the 1970s and early 1980s when some pioneering plastic surgeons and dentists first began serving international clients. Among them was Dr. Miguel Alfaro, who, like many Costa Rican surgeons, came to medical school in the United States and was trained in general and plastic surgery at the University of Colorado; the University of Missouri and the University of Michigan. He returned to Costa Rica in 1976 and worked for years for the country’s public health care system, while building his private practice in plastic surgery on the side. Most recently, Alfaro has been chairman of the Department of Surgery at Hospital San Juan de Dios in San José, Costa Rica.

Among other professional associations, Dr. Alfaro belongs to the International College of Surgeons; the Costa Rican Plastic Surgery Association; and the Plastic Surgery Association for Iberoamerica. He is a Fellow of the International College of Surgeons, a member of the American College of Surgeons and a Founding partner of the Costa Rican Association of Mastology.

Alfaro prides himself on being a conservative plastic surgeon and has built his international reputation in plastic surgery on excellent results as well as a safety record that is second to none.

“I have very good results,” he said in a recent interview with The Bridge. “I have done thousands of operations and I am very conservative … I mean, if I see a change in technique going on, I will wait a few years, frankly. I want to be sure it is safe, see what complications are encountered by others.”

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Readers of this blog get first crack at the best seats for BridgeHealth International Inc.’s first-ever medical tourism “Webinar” on Friday, May 30 at 11 a.m. Mountain Daylight Time.

The free online event will feature Stephanie Sulger, RN. MS, VP of BridgeHealth’s Consumer Division; and Will Garin, VP of marketing for the Denver-based company. The one-hour presentation is open to the first 125 people to register online:

Webinar Online Registration Link

No special software or hardware is required to view and participate in the Webinar. The presentation is recommended for “anyone who has ever wondered what medical tourism is really like,” Garin said. “It gives people a place to start and a place to get their questions answered.”

Sulger, a pioneer in the medical travel and tourism industry, is frequently called upon to assess health and safety factors at medical destinations and is often quoted in media such as The New York Times and Good Housekeeping magazine, as well as appearing on ABC television speaking about issues facing the medical travel industry. In her career, she has assisted more than 3,000 clients in obtaining care in overseas facilities, including for orthopedics, neurosurgery, general surgery, cosmetic surgery, GYN, urology and stem cell therapy.

BridgeHealth is the sponsor of this blog. You can expect to see the moderator at the webinar, providing there’s an extra seat …