Global Surgery: Our History

Drs. Andrew Howard (Division of Orthopedic Surgery) and Massey Beveridge (Division Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery) spearheaded the establishment of The Office of International Surgery; the Department’s first efforts in formalizing their global contributions. The founding premise was to support low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) improve their surgical capacity through health system strengthening, education and training for local healthcare providers, political and social advocacy, and formalized partnerships with governments and/or educational institutions.

Since then, the remit has broadened to include addressing inequities in surgical care within Canada as well. 

In 2011, the Greg Wilkins-Barrick Chair in International Surgery at UHN was established to improve the quality of neurosurgical care in LMICs and to train the next generation of neurosurgeons internationally. Dr Mark Bernstein (Division of Neurosurgery) was the inaugural Chair, which is now held by Dr Mojgan Hodaie (Division of Neurosurgery). In 2013, the A.K. Prakash Fellowships in International Medicine were launched, allowing surgeons from LMICs to undertake paid full-time clinical Fellowship positions in Toronto, advancing their skills and knowledge. Our Prakash Fellows return to their home countries with new techniques and approaches, and many have gone on to establish residency and fellowship programs in their own countries, creating a ripple effect.

Global surgery has been a central part of the Department of Surgery’s Strategic Direction for over ten years under Dr James Rutka’s leadership as the R.S. McLaughlin Chair. The Department recognizes the commitment of faculty and trainees to engage in the delivery and strengthening of surgical care beyond their immediate day to day clinical environment, and the broader role of the University of Toronto as an international leader in education and training. In 2015, Dr. Lee Errett (Division of Cardiac Surgery) was appointed as the first Professor of Global Surgery in the Department of Surgery and was subsequently named as the George and James Swan Chair in Global Surgery. These roles have allowed Dr Errett to expand longstanding clinical and training partnerships in China, and to extend these efforts to Jamaica and Northern Canada as the core focus of his work. An academic promotion pathway for faculty based on their contributions in global surgery was established in 2018, a first among academic Departments. Several of our faculty are now primarily appointed under the Global Surgeon designation allowing them protected time, resources and recognition to pursue this impactful work.

Today, the Department of Surgery has more than 30 faculty and many trainees engaged in global surgery activities, within Canada and around the world. We are also proud to be training the next generation of surgeons and health system leaders to deliver excellent and equitable surgical care to patients and populations, both within Canada and around the world.