Márcio Ibrahim de Carvalho

Emeritus Member of the Medical Academy from Minas Gerais (Academia Mineira de Medicina, occupying the Chair 22 from November 17, 1998, to March 1^st, 2007);

Member of the Brazilian Society of Orthopedics and Traumatology (Sociedade Brasileira de Ortopedia e Traumatologia, SBOT);

Emeritus Member of the Latin American Society of Orthopedics and Traumatology (Sociedade Latino-Americana de Ortopedia e Traumatologia, SLAOT) and Société Française de Chirurgie Orthopédique et Traumatologique (SoFCOT);

Honorary Member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS);

Reciprocal Member of the Société Internationale de Chirurgie Orthopédique et de Traumatologie (SICOT);

Emeritus Member of the Brazilian College of Surgeons (Colégio Brasileiro de Cirurgiões).

Son of José Ibrahim de Carvalho, a physician, and Maria da Glória Medeiros de Carvalho, Dr. Carvalho was born in São Gonçalo do Sapucaí, Minas Gerais, Brazil, on September 28, 1928.

Dr. Carvalho graduated as a doctor in 1952 at the School of Medicine from Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG). In 1954, he moved to the United States to complete his training, graduating in Orthopedics at the School of Medicine from University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, in May 1955. At the University of California San Francisco School of Medicine, he completed the course "Basic Science for Orthopedics," and his residency in Orthopedics (from July 1955 to November 1956). Dr. Carvalho returned to Brazil in November 1956. In May 1968, he earned his PhD degree and, the following November, became a full professor at the School of Medicine from UFMG.

Upon returning to Brazil, two events deeply marked his personal and professional life. In February 1957, Dr. Carvalho married Jane Bunte, whom he had met in San Francisco. Together, they had four children (Márcio Luiz, Nanci, Teresa, and André). Since the marriage, Mrs. Carvalho was his permanent support and had an active role in his accomplishments; Dr. Carvalho credited the better half of his achievements to her.

In June 1957, Dr. Carvalho introduced the Orthopedics Service at the Felício Rocho Hospital, beginning a lifelong relationship. During these 60 years, he was a constant collaborator at Felício Rocho, a philanthropic hospital. Dr. Carvalho was a member of the Technical Council and the Board of Directors for three non-consecutive terms. At the end of the last term, he received the title of "Consultant Physician." For another 20 years, he was a member of the Superior Council, a position he held until a few weeks before his death. None of these positions were paid. The 60^th anniversary of the Orthopedics Service from the Felício Rocho Hospital was celebrated in July 2017.

From 1993 to 1997, Dr. Carvalho was discharged from his activities at Felício Rocho Hospital, closing his office, to work as an assistant chief surgeon and coordinate the Sarah Network of Hospitals (located in Brasília, Salvador, and São Luiz) and, in particular, transform the Sarah Hospital from Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, into a Rehabilitation Hospital for its inclusion at the network. This represented a great achievement for the state of Minas Gerais. For the first time, patients with spinal or brain injury and severe disability started to receive free, high-level, specialized assistance.

After 5 years of orthopedics practice, Dr. Carvalho was accepted as a member of the Brazilian Society of Orthopedics and Traumatology (Sociedade Brasileira de Ortopedia e Traumatologia, SBOT). In 1960, he was elected president of the Regional Department of SBOT in Minas Gerais. Dr. Carvalho was elected to the National Directorate in 1963, where he remained for 14 years as director and hold several positions, including as President (from July 1975 to July 1977).

In preparation for the XVII SBOT Congress (Belo Horizonte, July 1967), Dr. Carvalho founded Revista Brasileira de Ortopedia, the official scientific publication from SBOT. He was the journal's director for 5 years, a member from the Editorial Board for 26 years, and an Editor Emeritus for more than a decade. At that Congress, in 1967, SBOT's Teaching and Training Commission was created. As its president, in 1972, Dr. Carvalho organized the first exam for the Specialist title, which had to be taken by residents after 2 years of approved in-service training. This examination, conducted by a board of professionals from several Brazilian regions, required an infrastructure that seemed unrealizable due to its cost. Volunteer examiners traveled on their own and paid for their accommodation. The Cultural Institute Brazil-United States (ICBEU) made its entire structure available free of charge, thanks to the support of its director, Mrs. Jane Bunte de Carvalho, Dr. Carvalho's wife. Under a new presidency, an attempt was made to carry the test out in Brasília, with no success.

Back in Belo Horizonte, another five tests were coordinated by Mrs. Carvalho at ICBEU; then, the test was transferred to the School of Medicine from Ribeirão Preto. In 2021, the 49^th Examination for the Title of Specialist in Orthopedics and Traumatology (TEOT) was held in the city of Campinas, São Paulo. An innovation was introduced each year. Today, under companies funding, the test is fully electronic and performed in a hotel. The TEOT examination is a model for other specialties, including abroad.

In 1958, Dr. Carvalho was one of the founders of the Rotary Club Belo Horizonte - West, in addition of being a board member from ICBEU. Dr. Carvalho presided the I Brazilian Congress of Hip Surgery (Salvador, 1981), the III National Congress of Foot Surgery (Belo Horizonte, 1983), and XVI Brazilian Congress of Orthopedics (Belo Horizonte, 1984). In 1966, he was one of the ten Brazilians invited by the British Orthopedics Society for a 4-week visit to eight Orthopedics Services in England and to participate at the Annual Congress in Edinburgh, Scotland, held in October. In 1973, Dr. Carvalho was elected an effective member of Conselho Regional de Medicina (Regional Council of Medicine, CRM) from Minas Gerais up to 1978. He was one of the founders of the Minas Gerais Institute for the History of Medicine, occupying chair 10, whose patron is his father, José Ibrahim de Carvalho. In 1991, Dr. Carvalho won the David Rabelo Prize from the same Institute. In June 1986, he was one of the 20 delegates of the American "Citizen Ambassador Program" to conduct orthopedic seminars in hospitals in China for 3 weeks (coordinated by Alan Freeland, from the University of Mississippi). The main hospitals and academic centers from Nanjing, Tianjin, Beijing, Suzhou, and Shanghai were visited. These seminars had very interesting, fruitful debates, often with the participation of patients.

Dr. Carvalho represented Brazil at the I East-West Congress of Orthopedics in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, which was complemented by another meeting in Prague, in October 1988. In 1989, he was elected for a 3 year-term as Delegate for Brazil at the Executive Committee of Societé Internacionale de Chirurgie Orthopedique et de Traumatologie (SICOT), being re-elected twice up to 1998. As a member of the Scientific Committee, Dr. Carvalho participated in the organization of congresses in Seoul (Korea), Alexandria (Egypt), Izmir (Turkey), and Montreal (Canada). He was part of the Medical Scientific Council of Philanthropic Hospitals (now Federassantas), working as a coordinator in 1994. He authored 37 national and international publications, in addition to chapters in 10 books. Dr. Carvalho participated in 314 congresses in Brazil and abroad. He was part of 36 Examining Boards for Master, PhD, and Full Professor positions in several Brazilian states.

Decorations:

• Grand Cross Commendation from the National Order of Scientific Merit - National Personality -Fernando Henrique Cardoso, President of Brazil, 1998;

• Inconfidência Medal - Eduardo Azeredo, 1996;

• Honorary Citizenship of Belo Horizonte - City Council, 2000;

• Juscelino Kubitscheck Medal - Minas Gerais Medical Association, 2002;

• Juscelino Kubitscheck Medal of Honor - Itamar Franco, Governor of Minas Gerais, 2002;

• Santos Dumont Medal - Fernando Pimentel, Governor of Minas Gerais, Cabangu, 2015;

• "Honor to Ethics" Certificate - Regional Council of Medicine, Minas Gerais, 2011;

• Recognition of Outstanding Contribution to Orthopedics and Traumatology - Societé Internacionale de Chirurgie Orthopedique et de Traumatologie (SICOT), Brussels, 1998;

• Nicholas Andry Medal for Brazilian Orthopedic Merit "For Contributing to the Development and Progress of the Specialty in the Country" - SBOT, 2014;

• Vital Brasil Medal - Minas Gerais Medical Academy, 2011;

• Academic Palm - Minas Gerais Medical Academy, 2010;

• Minas Gerais Medical Personality - Minas Gerais Medical Academy, Regional Council of Medicine at Minas Gerais, SINMED Minas Gerais, 2013.

Medals and plaques received during professional practice:

• 30^th SBOT Congress, Curitiba, 1996-Special Tribute. Initiator of the Residency Teaching Program 30 years ago;

• SBOT's Teaching Commission, Campinas, 2009, Commemoration of the success of the Specialist Title Examination;

• Minas Gerais Congress of Orthopedics, Poços de Caldas, 2005-Recognition of great contribution to the specialty in Brazil;

• International Symposium in Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, Uberaba, 2009-Homage of the First Symposium to his pioneering thesis in 1968;

• Residents of the Mater Dei Hospital, 2011-Acknowledgment for Scientific Coordination;

• Professor José Henrique Mata Machado Alumni Meeting, 2006-Dedication to Teaching;

• The Márcio Ibrahim de Carvalho Symposium, held every 2 years since 2005, by former residents committed in maintaining the tradition of ethics and humanism in dealing with patients.

In addition, Dr. Carvalho was:

• Emeritus Member of the Medical Academy from Minas Gerais (Academia Mineira de Medicina, occupying the Chair 22 from November 17, 1998, to March 1^st, 2007);

• Member of the Brazilian Society of Orthopedics and Traumatology (Sociedade Brasileira de Ortopedia e Traumatologia, SBOT);

• Emeritus Member of the Latin American Society of Orthopedics and Traumatology (Sociedade Latino-Americana de Ortopedia e Traumatologia, SLAOT) and Société Française de Chirurgie Orthopédique et Traumatologique (SoFCOT);

• Honorary Member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS);

• Reciprocal Member of the Société Internationale de Chirurgie Orthopédique et de Traumatologie (SICOT);

• Emeritus Member of Brazilian College of Surgeons (Colégio Brasileiro de Cirurgiões).

In his personal life, Dr. Carvalho (or Dr. Márcio, as we used to call him), was always very demanding from himself, his team, and residents but he was the first to defend them from any unjust act. Owner of a vast orthopedic culture and an enviable memory, he always added current information in any area of orthopedics. Dr. Carvalho continued to participate in the clinical meetings of the orthopedics team until two weeks ago. An innovative physician, he has always sought to combine modernity with an effective gain in the quality of care for patients. He was extremely proud of his former residents and very happy with the achievement of each one of them. When recording the show "Orthopedics Memory" ("Memória da Ortopedia)" at SBOT-MG, he said that his main achievement was training the team from Felício Rocho Hospital and a legion of orthopedists. Outside the work environment, he was a discreet person and a gentleman. When receiving friends, he loved to talk and tell stories about orthopedics. Even in his last few days, he was always consulted for advice and cheers.

We, his disciples, will continue to keep as a principle a phrase he quoted several times: "Primun non Nocere."

Orthopedics Team, Felício Rocho Hospital

Publication Dates

• Publication in this collection
  09 Aug 2021
• Date of issue
  May-Jun 2021