An International Collaborative Study on Surgical Education for Quality Improvement (ASSURED): A Project by the 2017 International Society of Surgery (ISS/SIC) Travel Scholars International Working Group

Abstract

Background There is a huge difference in the standard of surgical training in different countries around the world. The disparity is more obvious in the various models of surgical training in low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMICs) compared to high‐income countries. Although the global training model of surgeons is evolving from an apprenticeship model to a competency‐based model with additional training using simulation, the training of surgeons in LMICs still lacks a standard pathway of training. Methods This is a qualitative, descriptive, and collaborative study conducted in six LMICs across Asia, Africa, and South America. The data were collected on the status of surgical education in these countries as per the guidelines designed for the ASSURED project along with plans for quality improvement in surgical education in these countries. Results The training model in these selected LMICs appears to be a hybrid of the standard models of surgical training. The training models were tailored to the country's need, but many fail to meet international standards. There are many areas identified that can be addressed in order to improve the quality of surgical education in these countries. Conclusions Many areas need to be improved for a better quality of surgical training in LMICs. There is a need of financial, technical, and research support for the improvement in these models of surgical education in LMICs.

Abstract Journal Global Health Program

“…Bir Hospital, National Academy of Medical Sciences, Bagmati Province, Nepal Purpose: The international collaborative surgical education research in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs) identified surgical education quality improvement areas. (1) The purpose of this study is to assess the preliminary impact of international collaborative surgical education quality improvement initiatives in LMICs. Methodology: A qualitative, descriptive and collaborative study was conducted in LMICs-Nepal, Vietnam and Nigeria.…”

Academic Global Surgery: Creating Opportunities, Equity, and Diversity

“…Thoughtfully crafted academic collaborations-cognizant of historical power dynamics and abuses within partnerships between LICs/LMICs and high-income countries (HICs)-are integral in advancing the vision of universal access to high-quality surgical care. Sustainable programming includes capacity-building and training endeavors to support and increase the global surgery workforce, as well as the professional development of clinicians and researchers in low-resource settings [1,2].…”

Editorial: Evidence-Based Surgery in Africa

“…While many guidelines recommend the use of various diagnostic modalities preoperatively, in many parts of Africa peritonitis is often a clinical diagnosis and the abdomen is opened without knowledge of the pathology that lies within (6). In the many and varied contexts of surgery across the African continent, new ways of thinking need to be developed, promulgated and taught to trainees in ways appropriate to the local situation (7)(8)(9). This will be hastened by the use of modern tools including social media, and rapid and comprehensive literature searches, and will be supported by established leading journals, such as the Annals of African Surgery, and surgical societies across the regions.…”