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Surgical mentorship in low-resource environments: Opportunities and challenges, a perspective
Wireko A Awuah1, Joecelyn K Tan2, Hareesha R Bharadwaj3
1Faculty of Medicine Sumy State University Sumy Ukraine.
Health Science Reports
|August 1, 2024
Summary
Surgical mentorship programs in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) enhance surgical capacity and patient outcomes. Overcoming challenges like resource limitations and resistance to change is crucial for their successful implementation and sustainability.
Area of Science:
- Global Health
- Surgical Education
- Healthcare Systems
Background:
- Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) face a critical shortage of skilled surgical practitioners, impacting healthcare delivery and economic development.
- Surgical mentorship programs are identified as a key strategy to address this deficit and improve surgical care.
- Implementation of these programs in LMICs, however, is often hindered by various systemic challenges.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a comprehensive review of the impact of surgical mentorship programs in LMICs.
- To identify the specific challenges encountered during the implementation of these programs.
- To explore opportunities for the future development and sustainability of surgical mentorship in resource-limited settings.
Main Methods:
- A systematic literature search was performed for articles published between 2000 and 2023.
- Databases were searched for studies on surgical mentorship programs specifically within LMICs.
- Inclusion criteria focused on full-text English articles demonstrating mentorship characteristics, with rigorous exclusion criteria applied to ensure evidence quality.
Main Results:
- Surgical mentorship programs effectively strengthen local surgical capacity, leading to improved surgical skills and patient outcomes.
- These programs optimize the utilization of resources and technology and positively influence aspiring surgeons.
- Significant challenges include resistance to change, limited resources, financial and logistical constraints, and time limitations.
Conclusions:
- Surgical mentorship programs offer significant promise for improving surgical capacity and healthcare quality in LMICs.
- Strategies such as standardized metrics, innovative funding, collaborative partnerships, and virtual mentorship are essential for overcoming implementation barriers.
- Sustainable learning cultures fostered by these programs can enhance healthcare equity and quality in low-resource settings.
