Mission Trips in Global Surgery: A Debate on Their Future Role

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: The world’s increasing interconnectivity has made it easier than ever for surgeons to collaborate globally, both electronically and physically. The traditional model of short-term surgical trips, which have typically involved infrequent visits to provide care, is evolving due to this interconnectedness. While existing literature suggests that the impact of these missions on the medical communities they target remains largely unknown—and, in some cases, may even be counterproductive—the reality is that surgeons often have limited time to contribute to global surgery efforts, typically only 1-4 weeks per year. This brings forth important questions: should otolaryngologists, following the lead of other surgical subspecialties, pool resources within global academic consortiums or collaborate with otolaryngology specialty hospitals to improve access to safe and affordable surgical care in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs)? Should otolaryngology departments offer greater support for global surgical efforts, both academically and logistically? Moreover, should there be a stronger emphasis on organizing and providing academic support to short-term surgical trips in order to increase their sustainability and effectiveness? This panel, composed of global surgeons experienced in international surgical efforts, will delve into these questions through open discussions with the panelists and the audience. The conversation will center around historical successes and failures in global surgery, opportunities for otolaryngologists to engage in global surgery, barriers to academic support, strategies for developing sustainable practices, and the ethical considerations of conducting surgery in LMICs.