Global Surgery Education and Training Programmes-a Scoping Review and Taxonomy

Area of Science:

• Global Health
• Surgical Education
• International Medical Training

Background:

• Global surgery addresses the worldwide unmet need for surgical care.
• A clear, common understanding of global surgery education and training is lacking.
• Existing initiatives require a structured framework for analysis and strategic development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the practical forms of global surgery education and training programs.
• To propose a classification scheme for global surgery education and training activities.
• To provide a framework for studying and improving global surgery education.

Main Methods:

• A scoping review was conducted following PRISMA Extension for Scoping Review guidelines.
• Searches were performed in PubMed MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Google for relevant programs.
• Inclusion criteria focused on named, surgical, international, "global surgery" programs with new information.

Main Results:

• Sixty-seven sources were included from 327 identified records.
• Interventions most frequently involved collaboration between High-Income Country (HIC) and Low- and Middle-Income Country (LMIC) institutions.
• Efforts are concentrated on academic programs in HICs and HIC trainee placements in LMICs.
• A classification scheme identified four categories and ten subcategories of global surgery education and training.

Conclusions:

• A structured framework for global surgery education and training has been developed.
• Understanding the diverse forms of these interventions can inform strategic decision-making.
• This framework supports the advancement of global surgical education and practice.