Global Surgery: Thoughts on an Emerging Surgical Subspecialty for Students and Residents
published online 01 June 2010.
Interest is growing in global health among surgical residents and medical students. This article explores the newly developing concept of “global surgery.” Providing surgical care to resource-limited populations, often found in low- and middle-income countries, has numerous professional and personal developmental benefits. A significant interest is found among most general surgical residents; however, it is necessary to formalize more exchange programs and fellowships like some institutions have done. Medical schools also should establish similar global clinical electives to channel the exuberance of students, develop properly their global health interests, and expose them early to the realities and health needs of the global population. Current opportunities for medical students and residents are reviewed along with the relevant literature.
†Faculty of Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Commonwealth of Australia
‡Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
§Operation Giving Back, American College of Surgeons, Chicago, Illinois
¶Department of Surgery, Columbia University, New York, New York
Correspondence: Inquiries to Jeffrey J. Leow, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing, and Health Sciences, Monash University, Monash University Clayton VIC 3800, Melbourne, Australia; fax: +61 3 9905 4302
All authors are members of Surgeons OverSeas (SOS), an organization whose mission is to save lives in developing countries by improving surgical care. T.P.K. and A.L.K. are the founders and codirectors of Surgeons OverSeas (SOS). K.M.C. is Director of Operation Giving Back, American College of Surgeons.