Mark Bernstein

Dr. Mark Bernstein, Professor of Neurosurgery at University Health Network [Toronto Western], is no stranger in the field of global surgery leaders. When working on his MHSc in Bioethics, he became interested in helping those less fortunate than himself. His goal? To improve the lives of patients by building capacity with local care providers and systems.

With this natural desire to help those who are physically vulnerable and underprivileged, Dr. Bernstein began to travel the world to deliver novel and sustainable neurosurgical techniques in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). His capacity-building work in Indonesia, Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Zambia, Kenya and Rwanda has taken place over multiple visits over a span of 21 years. His first trip to Indonesia in 2003 allowed him to provide hands-on teaching to residents and to help with surgeries. In 2007, he began to recruit colleagues to join him on trips to central China and southeast Asia and eventually, his outreach efforts led him and his colleagues to numerous countries within the African continent which he has visited approximately 20 times since 2010. Since 2012, he travelled to the US, Kuwait and Japan with other health care professionals to teach awake craniotomy.

Dr. Bernstein has also brought Fellows he’s worked with overseas back to Toronto from Ethiopia, Indonesia, Nigeria, Zambia, Brazil, Colombia and Rwanda.

In 2011, Dr. Bernstein was awarded the Greg Wilkins-Barrick Chair in International Surgery (2011 – 2021). He credits the Chair for allowing him to fund a Women in Neurosurgery Award to bring female neurosurgeons from LMIC’s to attend North American neurosurgery meetings; fund medical students and residents to go overseas to be involved in global work; and to support residents in taking the global surgery course at the University of Toronto.

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Peer-reviewed publications based on international surgery work

Bernstein M: Ethical dilemmas encountered while operating and teaching in a developing country. Canadian Journal of Surgery 47:170-172, 2004
Bernstein M: Stepping in. Doctor’s Review. March, 2004, pp 64-70
Bernstein M: Ethical issues in fellowship training across the global divide. Indian Journal of Medical Ethics 2:51-52, 2005
Mahadewa T, Harsan H, Nugroho S, Bernstein M: Postoperative recovery of complete sudden paraplegia due to lumbar schwannoma: Case report. Journal of Neurosurgery:Spine 2:601-603, 2005
Bernstein M, Hamstra SJ, Woodrow S, Goldsman S, Reznick RK, Fairholm D: Needs assessment of neurosurgery trainees: a survey study of two large training programs in the developing and developed world. Surgical Neurology 66:117-124, 2006
Hawryluk GWJ, Bernstein M: Traumatic Brain Injury, in Surgery in Africa - Monthly Review (editor B. Ostrow), October 2006. CPA. accessible at: http://www.utoronto.ca/ois/SIA.htm
July J, Manninen P, Yao Z, Lai J, Bernstein M: The history of awake craniotomy for brain tumor and its spread into Asia. Surgical Neurology 71:621-624, 2009
Cadotte D, Sharma M, Bernstein M: Intracranial infections, in Surgery in Africa (Ostrow B ed). September 2009. Available at: http://www.ptolemy.ca/members/current/Intracranial%20Infections/index.html
Cadotte DW, Viswanathan A, Cadotte A, Bernstein M, Munie T, Freidberg SR: The consequences of delayed neurosurgical care at Tikur Anbessa Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Word Journal of Neurosurgery 73:270-275, 2010
Bernstein M: Out of Africa, for now. Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences 38:373-374, 2011
Cadotte DW, Blankstein M, Bekele A, Dessalegn S, Pain C, Derbew M, Bernstein M, Howard A: Establishing a surgical partnership between Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and Toronto, Canada. Canadian Journal of Surgery 56:E19-23, 2013
Howe KL, Zhou G, July J, Totimeh T, Malomo A, Mahmud R, Ismail N, Bernstein M: Teaching awake craniotomy in resource-poor settings and implementing it sustainably. World Neurosurgery 80:171-174, 2013
Howe KL, Malomo AO, Bernstein M: Ethical challenges in international surgical education, for visitors and hosts. World Neurosurgery 80:751-758, 2013
Cadotte DW, Blankstein M, Bekele A, Dessalegn S, Pain C, Derbew M, Bernstein M, Howard A: Establishing a surgical partnership between Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and Toronto, Canada. Canadian Journal of Surgery 56:E19-23, 2013
Howe KL, Zhou G, July J, Totimeh T, Dakurah T, Malomo A, Mahmud R, Ismail N, Bernstein M: Teaching and sustainably implementing awake craniotomy in resource-poor settings. World Neurosurgery 80:171-174, 2013. SRI
Howe KL, Malomo AO, Bernstein M: Ethical challenges in international surgical education, for visitors and hosts. World Neurosurgery 80:751-758, 2013
Mansouri A, Okechi H, Albright L, Bernstein M: Reconnaissance mission to the Neurosurgical Department in Kijabe Hospital, Kenya: A call for the submission of ideas and strategies. World Neurosurgery 81:3-4, 2014
Cadotte D, Sedney C, Djimbaye H, Bernstein M: A qualitative assessment of the benefits and challenges of international neurosurgical teaching collaboration in Ethiopia. World Neurosurgery 82:980-986, 2014
Sedney C, Siu J, Rosseau G, Dempsey R, Bernstein M: International neurosurgical volunteerism: a temporal, geographical, and thematic analysis of FIENS volunteer reports. World Neurosurgery 82:963-968, 2014
Bramall AN, Djimbaye H, Tolesse C, Abebe M, Biluts H,Bernstein M: Attitudes towards neurosurgery in a low income country: a qualitative study. World Neurosurgery 82:560-566, 2014
Ibrahim G, Bernstein M: Models of neurosurgical international aid: potential ethical pitfalls. Virtual Mentor American Medical Association Journal of Ethics. 17:49-55, 2015. CPA http://virtualmentor.ama-assn.org/2015/01/pfor1-1501.html
Mansouri A, Chan V, Njaramba V, Cadotte DW, Albright AL, Bernstein M: Sources of delayed provision of neurosurgical care in a rural Kenyan setting. Surgical Neurology International 6:32, 2015
Ibrahim GM, Cadotte DW, Bernstein M: A framework for the monitoring and evaluation of international surgical initiatives in low- and middle-income countries. PLoS one. 10:e0120368, 2015
Turel M, Bernstein M: Is outpatient brain tumor surgery feasible in India? Neurology India 64:886-895, 2016
Fallah P, Bernstein M: Global health collaborations: Justice, not charity. Impact Ethics July 21, 2016 https://impactethics.ca/2016/07/21/global-health-collaborations-justice-not-charity/
Ibrahim GM, Bernstein M: Response: Neurosurgical aid in the developing world: is it worth it? Journal of Neurosurgery Pediatrics 18:136-138, 2016
Bernstein M: Book Review of: A Surgeon in the Village: An American Doctor Teaches Brain Surgery in Africa. Journal of Neurosurgery 127: 226-227, 2-17
Fallah P, Bernstein M: Unifying a fragmented effort: a qualitative framework for improving international surgical teaching collaborations. Globalization and Health 13:70, 2017
Mansur A, Oswari S, Wahjoepramono POP, Kusdiansah M, Bernstein M: Awake craniotomy in a low to middle income country: a sustainability analysis. World Neurosurgery 118:332-341, 2018
Mansouri A, Ku JC, , Khu KJ, Mahmud MR Sedney C, Ammar A, Godoy BL, Bernstein M. Exploratory analysis into reasonable timeframes for the provision of neurosurgical care in low- and middle-income countries. World Neurosurgery 117:e679-e691, 2018
Almeida J, Velasquez C, Karekezi C, Marigel M, Bernstein M: Global neurosurgery: models for international surgical education and collaboration at one university. Neurosurgical Focus 45:E5, 2018
Fallah PN, Bernstein M: Barriers to participation in international surgical teaching collaborations, and possible solutions: a qualitative study. Journal of Neurosurgery 1:1-9, 2018
Mora C, Sampedro I, Rodriguez-Caballero A, Martin R, Ortega M, Venkatraghavan L, Miera M, Varea M, Pajaron-Guerrero M, Esteban J, Moreno B, Manzano A, Ruiz I, Martino J, Zadeh G, Bernstein M, Velasquez C: Barriers and facilitators in the implementation of a telemedicine-based outpatient brain tumor surgery program. Neurosurgical Focus 52:E8, 2022
Mofatteh M, Mohammad Mashayekhi S, Arfaie S, Adeleye AO, Jolayemi EO, Ghomsi NC, Shlobin NA, Morsy AA, Esene IN, Laeke T, Awad AK, Labuschagne JJ, Ruan R, Abebe YN, Jabang JN, Okunlola AI, Barrie U, Lekuya HM, Marcel EI, Kabulo KDM, Bankole NDA, Edem, IJ, Ikwuegbuenyi CA, Nguembu S, Zolo, Bernstein M. Awake craniotomy in Africa: A scoping review of literature and proposed solutions to tackle challenges. Neurosurgery 00:1-18, 2023 https://journals.lww.com/neurosurgery/Fulltext/9900/Awake_Craniotomy_in_Africa__A_Scoping_Review_of.678.aspx).