The Embracing Life Program (ELP) provides a three-year training regimen for Palestinian surgeons that was developed by Dr. John van Aalst, ELP program director and the Surgical Director of the Craniofacial Center at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. This regimen is equivalent to a craniofacial fellowship for surgeons in the occupied Palestinian territories. Surgeons completing this regimen and one additional year of surgical leadership training attain the rank of “Master Surgeon,” indicating that they can operate independently as well as train other surgeons.

Historically, training was accomplished through international ELP delegations, during which Dr. van Aalst and other US-based specialists in different disciplines traveled to the West Bank for intensive training of local apprentices. During these delegations, surgical trainees learned patient care before, during and after surgery, as well as case diagnosis and surgical techniques. In 2017, the program began transitioning to a local surgery and training model in the West Bank, during which Palestinian Master Surgeons and surgical trainees meet at the ELP Surgical Unit in Ramallah to conduct surgeries and training independent of outside intervention.

In addition to surgical training, the ELP program includes targeted training for other medical professionals in fields related to the cleft lip and/or palate condition such as nutrition, speech and language pathology, dentistry and orthodontics, in an effort to achieve a self-sufficient and comprehensive support system for patients.