BISC NEWSLETTER | WINTER 2021 EDITION

Welcome to the Winter 2021 Newsletter!

Happy New Year! We hope you had a wonderful break over the holidays. This January, we have a new cohort of students joining our graduate programs with 4 new students in our Graduate Certificate (GCGSC) and 2 new students in our Master of Global Surgical Care (MGSC). To both new and returning students – welcome! We are looking forward to seeing what you achieve this term.

We would also like to extend a warm congratulation to two of our students who have successfully completed the requirements for the GCGSC, Anisa Nazir and Stephen Wing Fu Fok!

Read on for the latest news and announcements, faculty appreciation and upcoming events. If you wish to be featured in our next newsletter or have any questions, please reach out at surgery.international@ubc.ca.

INSTRUCTOR APPRECIATION

BISC would like to recognize the significant contributions of two instructors, Dr. Brian Cameron and Dr. Jana MacLeod. Drs. Cameron and MacLeod are co-instructors for SURG 510: Surgical Care in International Health. Over Summer 2020 and the past term, they have both shown commitment and efforts to enhance this course.

MGSC & GCGSC SEPT 2021 INTAKE

Are you passionate about serving underrepresented communities and reducing health inequities in surgical systems? Consider applying to our graduate programs to enhance your breadth of knowledge and gain practical skills for your career in global surgery! Registration for our September 2021 cohort is now open until July 4, 2021.

Learn more about our Graduate Certificate in Global Surgical Care (GCGSC) and Master in Global Surgical Care (MGSC) programs.

BISC ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING

On November 10, 2020, BISC led the biannual Advisory Committee Meeting, gathering 22 members of our Executive Team, Advisory Committee, Faculty and Guests Due to COVID-19, this meeting was held virtually on Zoom.


Profiles for members on the BISC Advisory Committee can be viewed here.

2020 CHUNG DAY

In lieu of an in-person gathering, UBC Department of Surgery hosted a virtual lectureship for 2020 Chung Day on Nov 8, 2020. Our SURG 518 co-instructor, Dr. Melanie Morris, was invited as a visiting professor to present “Something to Imagine: Equity in Pediatric Surgery.”


To learn more about Chung Research Day, please visit here. Read Dr. Morris’ biography on our website here.

VIEW RECORDING

SURG 518 UPDATES

SURG 518: Surgical Care in Canada’s Rural and Remote Indigenous Communities with Global Comparisons allows learners to dive deep into issues around the provision of surgical care services to indigenous communities in Canada and globally. The course has been updated for 2021 to include new resources including videos and podcasts to incorporate the latest developments in health care due to COVID-19 and efforts towards reconciliation with indigenous peoples in Canada and around the world.

Co-Instructors: Drs. Nadine Caron, Jane Lea and Melanie Morris (View profiles here)

BETHUNE ROUNDTABLE UPDATE

Save the date! The Canadian Network for International Surgery (CNIS), in association with McGill University and the University of Toronto, is very proud to announce the Bethune Round Table 2021!

The Bethune Round Table (BRT) is an annual interdisciplinary meeting aimed at addressing the challenges of providing accessible, high-quality surgical care to marginalized patients in low-resource settings. The 21st Bethune Roundtable will be held from May 28- 31, 2021 with the theme of Strengthening Health infrastructure in Under-Resourced Communities.

Abstract submission is now open and until January 18, 2021. Learn more here.

UBC is very pleased to be hosting the Bethune Round Table in 2022 which will be held from June 16-18. Stay tuned for information for BRT 2022 on our website!
 

RECENT GLOBAL SURGERY PUBLICATIONS OF NOTE

  • McCormick, B.J. Waiswa, P., Nalwadda, C. et al. SMART Vaccines 2.0 decision-support platform: a tool to facilitate and promote priority setting for sustainable vaccination in resource-limited settings. BMJ Glob. Health (2020) - LINK
  • Svadzian, A., Vasquez, N.A., Abimbola, S. & Pai, M. Global health degrees: at what costs? BMJ Glob. Health (2020) - LINK
  • Inam, H., Janjua, M., Martins, R.S. et al. Cultural Barriers for Women in Surgery: How Thick is the Glass Ceiling? An Analysis from a Low Middle-Income Country. World J Surg (2020) - LINK

            UPCOMING EVENTS                         

  • Global Child Health Beyond the Pandemic, School of Population and Public Health at UBC and the Centre for International and Child Health at BC Children’s Hospital (LINK) – January 28, 2021
  • Consortium of Universities for Global Health (CUGH) Conference (LINK) – March 12-14, 2021
  • Bethune Round Table 2021: Strengthening Health Infrastructures in Under-Resourced Communities (LINK) – May 28-31, 2021