Global Surgical Rotations and Exposure for Medical Students in Grenada

Global Surgical Rotations and Exposure for Medical Students in Grenada

Hannah Shoctor , Neharaj Pitla , Brian Lee, Maira du Plessis, Katayoun Madani
St. George’s University, United States; Simurgh Global Surgery Collaborative, United States

Background:
Academic Global Surgery (AGS) workforce development involves training the workforce, future collaborators, and systems thinkers to bridge the global gaps in access to surgical care. Despite strong strides in AGS toward developing curricula over the last decade, structured training programs for medical students’ exposure to surgical care in resource-limited settings remain scarce. InciSioN Grenada piloted a surgical rotation program at Grenada General Hospital (GGH) to address this need.

Methods:
A five-day structured hospital rotation program was designed to accommodate approximately 15 medical students daily in morning and afternoon shifts. Students rotated between the operating room (OR) and surgical wards for hands-on learning and attended relevant didactic sessions. Post-rotation verbal feedback was collected from participants regarding their experience.

Results:
A total of 65 M1 and M2 students from St. George’s University signed up for the program, of which 37 were InciSioN members and 38 were not. The OR teams observed procedures and were taught suturing and knot tying. Ward teams participated in surgical rounds, bedside patient care, history-taking, and minor procedures. At program completion, participants expressed high satisfaction with hands-on clinical experience and exposure to surgical care in Grenada. Participants also shared challenges with limited OR access and transportation constraints.

Conclusion:
This pilot rotation program demonstrated the feasibility of integrating AGS training into early medical education by providing valuable early surgical exposure in a resource-limited environment. Future iterations of the program should expand student participation, enhance OR exposure, strengthen didactics, and explore sustainable global surgical education models.

Keywords: Global Surgery, Academic Global Surgery, Surgical Education, Workforce Development