Evolution of global surgery: lessons learned and a look toward the future

Global surgery is focused on providing high-quality, sustainable surgical care to all people of the world. Over time, the emphasis has shifted from brief mission trips to collaborative partnerships and sustainable training programs that provide continuous access to surgical care. The evolution and future direction of global surgery were discussed by experts in the field at the 2024 Annual Point/Counterpoint Acute Care Surgery Conference in Baltimore, Maryland, on May 2, 2024. The following article summarizes each of the experts' presentations and is followed by a summary of the evidence.