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Medical College of Wisconsin Global Surgical Programs

The Department of Surgery Collaborates to Improve Global Surgical Care

Department of Surgery Global Map 2023Over five billion people in the world lack access to basic essential and emergency surgical care (Lancet Commission Report). Over 90% of the affected population lives in Low and Middle-Income Countries. In May 2015, the World Health Assembly adopted Resolution 68:15 declared to strengthen basic emergency and essential surgery as an integral component of universal health coverage. The World Health Organization report from 2010 indicates that more than material shortage, the lack of trained surgical work force is critical. Through various non-profit organizations, medical schools, and hospitals, MCW surgeons across each of our subspecialties have been engaging globally to advance global surgical care. Our surgical faculty are collaborating within five continents and across twelve countries.

 

 

Building Surgical Capacity, Decreasing Healthcare Costs

Belize

Dr. Chris Dodgion

A plan to strengthen trauma care at Karl Heusner Hospital.

Cuba

Drs. Marc de Moya, Tom Carver, Chris Dodgion, Colleen Trevino

Multi-year training initiative to strengthen trauma and acute care education and surgical services.

Ethiopia

Drs. Marc de Moya, Chris Dodgion, Libby Schroeder

American College of Surgeons' Hawassa University collaboration with 12 institutions for an educational platform of training general surgeons.

Ghana

Dr. Chris Dodgion

Development of ATLS training program, trauma care model for Wenchi Hospital.

Haiti

Dr. Chris Dodgion

Evaluate burden, geographic distribution surgical disease at St. Boniface Hospital.

Kenya

Dr. Paul Pearson

Advance field of cardiac surgery, specifically valvular heart surgery at Tenwek Hospital in Bomet.

Madagascar

Dr. Libby Schroeder

Work with Operation Smile, LifeBox, World Children's Initiative to build an essential surgical referral center.

Nepal

Drs. Dean Klinger, Michael Malinowski, Marshall Beckman

Enhance surgical education and research at the Kathmandu University Medical School and Hospital located in Dhulikhel.

Peru

Drs. Michael Mitchell, Casey Matthew Calkins, John Densmore, Mary Otterson

Multi-year training collaboration to improve complex cardiac surgery in public hospitals; annual surgical care educational symposium for pediatric services, inguinal hernias, lipomas.

Korea

Dr. Joohyun Kim

Bi-lateral learning on live organ donation and transplantation.

Training the Next Generation of Global Surgeons

The GME Global Health Scholars academic enrichment program is available to any surgery resident and fellow who wants to advance their global health knowledge and leadership skills. This two-year training program gives them exposure to trainees in other specialties and network with MCW's globally engaged faculty who provide interactive didactic seminars across the Consortium of Universities of Global Health competencies. Currently 37 trainees across 14 subspecialities are enrolled. This educational effort culminates in a global health away rotation where surgery trainees can witness surgical services in another part of the world. This academic year, six residents will rotate abroad. Opportunities with our faculty's collaborators in Nepal and Ethiopia allow trainees to experience surgery in diverse resource settings. The new Global Surgery Fellowship is a two-year training program for the already globally engaged resident to have advanced practice as an educator and surgeon, collaborating with in-country partners to build surgical capacity, as well as research, education and quality improvement efforts.

Operation Giving Back Logo

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) has developed a strong partnership with the College of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa (COSECSA). COSECSA is responsible for the training and credentialing of surgeons in the region where currently there are 0.53 surgeons for every 100,000 population. Our Department of Surgery has joined 12 other academic institutions who have invested in the global solution to build a common global learning environment where sustainable and mutually beneficial partnerships can be developed to build surgical workforce capacity in Low and Middle-Income Countries.

 
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Building Global Surgical Care has Reciprocal Benefits

The training partnership between COSECSA, ACS, U.S. Consortium of Academic Global Surgery Programs including our department, and the COSECSA accredited training program at Hawassa University Hospital in Ethiopia has developed a surgical training center of excellence. This site serves as the training hub with local and regional impact with a mission of innovation, clinical research, and patient care.

Reciprocal benefits for a global health surgical training program:

  • Surgical care in resource-limited, cost-effective setting
  • Creative problem solving, innovation
  • Understand rural health care delivery
  • Collaborative research
  • Creative ideas using mobile technology
  • Approaches to low-tech simulation in resource-limited setting

Partnership Contributions

Hawassa University

  • Local licensing
  • Full integration visiting faculty
  • Lodging, meals, transportation
  • Promote joint research
  • Hire surgeon coordinator

American College of Surgeons

  • Organize work plan
  • Coordinate communication
  • Funding surgeon travel
  • Share educational resources
  • Recruit additional surgeons

MCW Department of Surgery

  • Commit to 5-year program
  • Faculty on site for 4 weeks
  • Travel/salary for faculty
  • Share educational resources
  • Facilitate research

Contact Us

For more information about this training partnership, visit FACS. To learn more about the Department of Surgery's global surgical efforts, contact Dr. Christopher Dodgion.

 

MCW Global Surgical Programs flyer (PDF)

Dr. Christopher Dodgion
Global Health Liaison
Medical College of Wisconsin
Department of Surgery
Medical College of Wisconsin Office of Global Health

@MCWSurgery