The landscape of academic global surgery in Canada: a national environmental scan
Omar El Sewify1, Prachikumari Patel2, Shaishav Datta2
1From the Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, Que. (El Sewify); the Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont. (Patel); the Division of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont. (Datta); the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Fields); the Queen's University School of Medicine, Kingston, Ont. (Mastalerz-Sanchez); Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Plastic Surgery, Queensway Carleton Hospital, Ottawa, Ont. (Jemec) omar.elsewify.1@ulaval.ca.
Background:
Global surgery has emerged as a critical domain within global health, but despite growing academic interest, the structure, scope, and organization of global surgery initiatives within Canadian academic institutions remain incompletely characterized. We sought to conduct a national environmental scan of academic global surgery initiatives in Canada, examining participant characteristics, the structure and focus of initiatives, community motivations, and future priorities.
Methods:
We conducted a cross-sectional, survey-based study between July 2024 and April 2025, targeting Canadian physicians, trainees, researchers, and health professionals involved in global surgery. We invited participants via professional networks, academic institutions, and the trainee network of the Canadian Global Surgery Trainees' Alliance. The survey included both quantitative and qualitative items across 4 domains. We used descriptive statistics and thematic analysis to analyze responses.
Results:
Forty respondents from 10 Canadian medical schools completed the survey, representing diverse surgical specialties and career stages. Most were affiliated with university-based global surgery offices (62%). Engagement was highest in research (65%), teaching (55%), and capacity building (55%), with trainees playing a central role. Key barriers included limited funding (95%), infrastructure gaps (70%), and lack of training opportunities (54%). Motivations for involvement included commitment to health equity, education, and sustainable partnerships. Respondents also identified future priorities, including training and education, improving access to surgical resources, and enhancing mentorship and evaluation frameworks.
Conclusion:
This study offers an overview of Canadian global surgery efforts, revealing enthusiastic but fragmented engagement. Findings highlight opportunities to strengthen coordination, formalize training structures, and improve sustainability within global surgery programs in Canada.