2010 Research Awards Announced
The Branch is pleased to announce the four residents awarded research grants to support travel related to research activities in surgical care in international health.
The Award Committee extends a special thank you to everyone who submitted proposals and encourages you to continue your global surgery-related work. We gratefully acknowledge support from the Canadian Network for International Surgery (CNIS) through a CIDA grant that enables us to provide these awards.
Congratulations to the award recipients! We look forward to presentations of their projects at future BIS rounds and other forums.
Meet the UBC residents who were awarded a Research Grant in 2010:
Zaheer Kanji – UBC Postgraduate Year 1, General Surgery
The Status of Trauma Quality Improvement Program (TQIP) in Low and Middle Income Countries; a Systematic Review of the Literature and the Development of Future Strategies for Surveillance
Field Mission – December 2010 – January 2011 – Capetown South Africa
Faculty Supervisor: Dr. Morad Hameed
Research Proposal:
Despite the growing interest in trauma systems worldwide and the plethora of primary prevention initiatives, trauma continues to remain a global burden. In 2009, the WHO along with the International Association of Trauma Surgery and Critical Care, strongly recognized the impact of trauma afflicting the developing world and set forth a document highlighting the need for quality improvement programs. TQIP is the result of this initiative proposing that trauma mortality and quality of life amelioration is not simply a product of public health policy but as well directly linked to secondary prevention strategies once patients are admitted into hospital.
The goal of Zaheer’s research is to create and investigate these various strategies or “audit filters” and their impact on trauma mortality and quality of life in the less developed world. The research group will build on pre-existing infrastructure of past projects conducted at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town. This next phase of the study will involve direct “on the ground” fieldwork to establish a routine system of monitoring of our audits. The initial goal of our first trip to Cape Town will be to educate and instruct the clinical staff and data recruiter as to how to collect the pertinent information that will be required to analyze our objectives.
Jacqueline Hudson – UBC Postgraduate Year 3, Anesthesiology
Development and Evaluation of a Wireless Pulse Oximeter on a Cell Phone (iPleth), for Safe Perioperative Care in Uganda
Field Mission: August – September, 2010 : Uganda
Faculty Supervisor: Dr. Brian Warriner, Head, Department of Anesthesiology
Research Proposal:
The primary goal of Jacqueline’s research project is to demonstrate the potential for enhanced delivery of information from a pulse oximeter to enhance the safety of anesthesia care throughout the world. The question is: can we make a reliable, safe, simple, cheap and sensitive pulse oximeter interface that can be used and implemented in the care of patients by health care workers with, at times, limited training and experience?
In Uganda there are less than 10 trained anesthesiologists. Technicians with limited medical training provide most anesthetics. Pulse oximetry is currently available only in the major teaching hospital, and only for current patients. We need a practical way to make pulse oximetry available for every anesthetic given to every patient. In this research project we propose to develop and evaluate a wireless pulse oximeter that uses a cell phone to analyze the information received from a sensor placed on the finger.
Regarding her interest in global health she says the following: “When I was young I spent much of my time in Africa. In the innocence of my youth, I accepted the vast differences in standards of living I witnessed as ‘just the way it was’. I have had the tremendous fortune never to have been hungry, and have had opportunities in education beyond the hopes of most people in the world. Now as an adult, I reflect upon my acceptance of ‘just the way it is’, and ask how can I make change to maybe reduce the vast differences in the standards of living in the world. It is this question which has spurred my interest in global health”.
Monica Langer – Fellow, Pediatric General Surgery, BC Children’s Hospital
Coaching Surgical Trainees in Africa: a feasibility study using video replay to maximize short-term training opportunities
Field Mission: TBC
Faculty Supervisor: Dr. Geoff Blair, BC Children’s Hospital
Research Proposal:
Surgical trainees in North American and Africa may both benefit from international partnerships that are already in place. In order to look at the impact on Ugandan and Canadian resident training during a hernia camp, we are examining the impact of trainee experiences during a hernia camp in Kampala, Uganda. Through entrance and exit surveys and by objective assessments of technical performance at the beginning and end of a two week intensive surgical intervention we aim to identify and partially quantify the benefit to local and international surgical trainees.
Monica says the following about why she does international work:
“My interest in international work began with a book about an Ebola outbreak, prompting a fascination for life on the African continent and in the unique diseases seen there. Ever since I have looked forward to a time when I would have the opportunity to work and learn in similar locations. My first trip to Africa was an elective in South Africa during medical school, giving me a glimse at some of the different diseases and treatments and a chance to meet some wonderful people who live and work there. I have since focused my training in North America but have continued to look forward to a time when I will be able to combine surgery and my interest in international health. I hope with this project I can highlight and assess some of the ways surgical “missions” can improve the education of local healthcare providers, leaving a lasting effect on future patients and local surgeons.”