BGSC NEWSLETTER | SPRING 2025 EDITION | Welcome to the Spring 2025 Newsletter! Happy Spring! Welcome to the BGSC Spring newsletter with the latest updates on our educational programs, research, projects, publications and more. Read on for the latest news and announcements, faculty and student spotlights, featured publications and upcoming events. If you wish to be featured in our next newsletter or have any questions, please reach out to us at global.surgery@ubc.ca. | We are very excited to feature several students graduating from our Graduate Certificate in Global Surgical Care and Master of Global Surgical Care in May 2025! We are looking forward to welcoming this class to the BGSC alumni and to see the amazing work they will do in global surgical care in the future. Congratulations on completing the GCGSC and MGSC program! | MGSC Matthew Boroditsky GCGSC Charlotte Allen Simon Holland Jessica Winter | Thank You, Dr. Norgrove Penny Please join us in extending sincere thanks and gratitude for Dr. Norgrove Penny's contribution to the Branch for Global Surgical Care over the years. He has been instrumental in helping guide our learners on their understanding of alleviating the global burden of surgical disability. He has dedicated his life to transforming orthopaedic care initiatives for children and has helped establish children’s programs and to train orthopedic surgeons in low resource settings, primarily in Sub-Saharan Africa. Dr. Penny was the co-creator and co-instructor of SURG 512- Global Disability: A Surgical Care Mandate for twelve years, since the course launch in 2012, along with Dr, Dan Poenaru, and later with Dr. Esther Chin and Dr. Doreen Nakku who are now co-instructing the course. VIEW ANNOUNCEMENT | | Bethune Roundtable 2025 The Canadian Network for International Surgery (CNIS), in association with the Centre for Global Surgery at the University of Calgary is very proud to announce the Bethune Round Table 2025! 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 25th Bethune Roundtable will be held in person and virtually in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, May 23-24, 2025 with the theme Pursuing Equity in Surgical, Obstetric, Trauma and Anaesthesia (SOTA) Care: Bridging the Gap. | MORE INFO & REGISTER | SURG 560 Student Reports In SURG 560, students complete a field practicum placement grounding their knowledge and skills attained in the other courses of the MGSC. A high-level written report is produced as the final graduating requirement. MGSC student Emma Robertson recently completed their report which is now available on our website. Congratulations, Emma! VIEW MORE | | PUBLICATIONS - Hilzenrat, R.A., Bondzi-Simpson, A., Huynh, C., Ko, M., Ashrafi, A. S. (2025) Global surgery interest and engagement in Canadian thoracic surgery practice. JTCVS Open - 2666-2736M3 - doi: 10.1016/j.xjon.2025.03.020 (LINK)
- Rebello, L., Livergant, R., Khanbadr, P., Bednarek, O., & Joharifard, S. (2025). Simulation Models for Training in Pediatric General, Thoracic, Plastic, and Urologic Surgery in Low-resource Settings: A Scoping Review. Journal of pediatric surgery, 60(5), 162183.(LINK)
- Heo, K., Greaney, E., Haehl, J., Stunden, C., Lindner, A., Malik, P. R. A., Rosenbaum, D. G., Muensterer, O., Zakani, S., Jacob, J., & Joharifard, S. (2025). Iterative Design and Manufacturing of a 3D-Printed Pediatric Open and Laparoscopic Integrated Simulator for Hernia Repair (POLISHeR). Journal of pediatric surgery, 60(5), 162232. (LINK)
- Phares, A., Binda, C., Joharifard, S., & Baird, R. (2025). Establishing a Competency Based Medical Education Curriculum for International Medical Graduates Pursuing Pediatric Surgery Training in High-income Countries. Journal of pediatric surgery, 60(4), 162227. (LINK)
| UPCOMING EVENTS -
Bethune Roundtable 2025 - Calgary, AB and Virtiual (LINK) - May 24 - 25, 2025. Theme: Pursuing Equity in Surgical, Obstetric, Trauma and Anaesthesia (SOTA) Care: Bridging the Gap. -
INCISION Global Surgery Symposium 2025 - St. George's Grenada and Virtual. (LINK) August 29-31, 2025. Theme: Transdiscisclipinary Solutions for Stronger Surgical Systems -
Canadian Conference on Global Health (LINK) - Halifax, NS and Virtual October 24–28, 2025 -
Canadian Association of General Surgeons (CAGS) Global Surgery Mentorship Program. currently accepting applications for mentors and mentees interested in participating in the 2025-2026 Program Sessions.(LINK) | | Interested in learning more about our educational programs, and the Global Surgery Lab and how to become involved? Contact us Branch for Global Surgical Care: global.surgery@ubc.ca Global Surgery Lab: globalsurgery.lab@ubc.ca | | | | |
