Global Scalpels: A Global Surgery Podcast

In this episode of Global Scalpels , we explore the challenges and opportunities in building sustainable, locally led pediatric orthopedic care in low-resource settings. From developing in-country fellowship programs in Uganda to navigating the balance between “do no harm” and providing essential care, we dive into what it takes to train surgeons, improve surgical systems, and expand access to car...

What happens when a scalpel meets the unexpected? In this episode, we journey into the heart of global orthopedic surgery, where late-presenting cases, resource scarcity, and cultural nuances redefine the art of healing. We are joined by none other than Dr. David Spiegel as he discusses the challenges and triumphs of treating complex musculoskeletal conditions in austere settings over the last sev...

Cars are more than just a means of transportation—they’re a hidden driver of global health disparities and surgical needs. In this thought-provoking episode, we speak with urban health expert Patrick to unravel the untold impact of cars on global surgery. From the rise in trauma cases and chronic diseases to the long-lasting effects of pollution, cars are contributing to a global health crisis. As...

In this episode of Global Scalpels, we dive into the complexities of delivering surgical care across different healthcare systems. We explore what it truly means to be a surgeon in a world where protocols, resources, and even antibiotics are far from universal. From Malawi to the UK and beyond, our expert guests share eye-opening stories on resourcefulness, teamwork, and cultural adaptation in glo...

In this episode, we’re joined by two powerhouse storytellers in the global development space, Meryl Westlake and Lucy Taylor. Together, they share their journeys into digital content creation for international development, offering insights into crafting compelling narratives for global health, humanitarian emergencies, and environmental causes. They dive into the ethics of storytelling in global...

Each surgical subspecialty has unique sets of challenges when performing their specific procedures. In plastic surgery, procedures for complex burns, hand injuries, and congenital deformities can require tissue/skin graft preparation and microscopic reapproximation. These challenges are only exacerbated when resources are limited - both in terms of personnel and materials. Meet Dr. Metasebia Abebe...

​​The dawn of a new year brings new resolutions, new perspectives, and new hope. And what better way to kick off 2024 than with our latest episode – one that explores global surgical topics as well as life lessons. We are proud to present our guest, Dr Myron Rolle, a former American football (NFL) player turned neurosurgeon. In this episode, we will explore the finer nuances of positions of power...

Leaving behind everything to escape war, persecution, or even natural disaster poses its own unique challenges. Forced relocation is difficult, creating a unique set of problems including housing, food, finances, and importantly, healthcare. Accessing these resources as a refugee is extremely difficult and uniquely convoluted. Refugee camps seek to be a safe haven for these underserved populations...

As professionals working on a global scale, even the simplest of things must be challenged. Surgeons, lawyers, administrators, and many others, must adapt to become multifaceted individuals in this space. Surgery doesn’t just start and stop with the drapes. It involves supply chain, personnel management, legislation, advocacy, and so much more. In order to tackle these issues, it requires groundbr...

Delivery of surgical services in low-resource settings is extremely difficult. Supply chain issues, funding, shortages of supplies, and even lack of healthcare professionals are each enormous hurdles in and of themselves. What about when civil conflict arises and a war begins? Increases in different types of injuries start to plague the already fragile system. How does one get life-saving supplies...

Global climate change directly affects every person on the earth today. Whether this is a simple temperature rise or abnormal weather patterns to complete displacement of one's living situation due to rising ocean waters, climate change is happening all around us. Many industries have sought to do their part to slow the progression including the migration to renewable energy resources, home solar...

When we discuss global surgery, we often focus on the physical workforce that it takes to support a patient through their surgical needs. The other side of this process is the digital or mechanical support that makes surgery all possible. It is easy to take for granted the countless computers, x-ray machines, ventilators, and more. We often don’t recognize the biomedical engineering that takes pla...

New year, new episode! After a brief pause, we are excited to be back to share with you more about the amazing initiatives happening around the world and major concepts within the field of global surgery. The episode today is focused on a topic relevant to every listener because we all have one - mothers! Women’s health is at the very core of medicine with the unique overlap of the creation of lif...

In commemoration of Pride month this month, we wanted to highlight a population within society, but particularly in the field of global surgery, that is often left behind. The LGBTQ+ community has experienced high rates of discrimination and ostracization resulting in higher rates of mental illness, suicide, and even drug use. Further, LGBTQ+ patients encounter a very unique set of barriers within...

Lights, camera, ACTION! With the continued evolution of social media and technology, content creators can share their talent widely throughout the world without the need of a stage crew, make-up artist, costume designer, scriptwriter, director, etc. etc. etc.; in fact, you can do it from your very own living room with your iPhone! While it doesn’t take an army to create the content, it can be just...

The beautiful thing about surgery is that it has the power to change lives in ways that no other field can. Surgery is often used to correct physical deformation. Whether that is a fractured femur from a motorcycle accident, a craniotomy to relieve pressure on the brain, or an appendectomy to remove a ruptured appendix, each of these procedures helps to restore a person back to “whole”. What we do...

Asking questions is at the very core of education. Surgical education specifically is a unique circumstance in which “learning” directly affects the lives of others - sometimes in very negative and real ways. Thus, tackling training of new surgeons around the world has very real consequences that can help increase access to needed care around the globe but in safe and competent ways. The goal of s...

Imagine if you arrived at your house and there were dozens of Amazon boxes at your door. None of which you had ordered. You open them only to find random items – a hairbrush, t-shirts that are way too big for anyone in your household, a toaster, and ice cream that is now all melted since you didn’t know it was there and should be refrigerated. Further, this doesn’t happen just once. It happens ove...

4 hours? 7 hours? 10 hours? Look around you. Chances are you have a cell phone, tablet, or computer within reach (you are reading this after all). The number of hours an individual spends on their electronic devices each day continues to rise every year. With mobile devices reaching almost every corner of the earth, access to technology has never been easier. So how can we use this technology to d...

Our episode today covers a debilitating and life-threatening condition that disproportionately affects those in developing countries around the world. Affecting more than 150,000 people annually, Noma is a fatal infection of the face and mouth with the mortality rate approaching more than 90 percent and the morbidity/sequelae are permanently debilitating. Noma is a result of acute necrotizing ulce...

Children are one of the world’s protected populations. Indeed, they are the very make up of our future as a race. They bring new life, ideas, and opportunities we can only dream of. Unfortunately, not all children around the world have equal opportunities to contribute to this future. In 2019 alone, more than 5 million children under 5 years died from preventable and treatable causes - many of whi...

Findings from studies published in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) report that more than 45% of resident physicians experience burnout and the numbers are continuing to climb. If that number didn’t surprise you, then you are well aware of the psychological stress and struggles that doctors and other healthcare workers experience on a daily basis - particularly during this re...

Undergoing surgery is an extremely multifaceted process that includes physical, mental, and social aspects to make it successful. Often when we talk about surgery, we focus on the physical and neglect these other important parts. This is where social work can bring all the pieces together to include the biopsychosocial approach to surgical care - an inter-disciplinary model that connects these thr...

Humans are inherently social creatures. For centuries we’ve learnt to survive, adapt and overcome through collaboration and unity. Medicine, in particular, highlights the value of taking input from multiple specialities and healthcare professionals to optimise patient care. However, with the power of modern technology, does this collaboration need to be confined to a single hospital? Why shouldn’t...

Healing takes time. To heal means to regenerate, to align and to gain strength. Wound healing, in particular, highlights the power of the human body in times of crisis – manipulating its resources and cells to restore homeostasis. But what happens when that fails? What happens if it’s a traumatic wound that gets infected, fails debridement? In high-income settings, the simple answer is negative pr...