New: Online Graduate Course
SURG 510 99 (Distance Education): Surgical Care in International Health
Winter Term-September 2010- 12 weeks – September-December 2010
This first-of-its-kind course is an essential foundation to the emerging discipline of international surgery. Since its inception in September 2009, 30 surgeons, residents and health professionals in Canada and abroad have taken the course. Profiles of our alumni and their comments can be found on the BIS website (
Whether you are contemplating working in the field of international surgery or incorporating international activity within your career this course will be beneficial.
FORMAT:
SURG 510 99is an entirely online (no classes on campus) three credit course created for those who want a flexible learning environment. The 12-week curriculum is delivered in nine modules with three assignments for submission and review, as well as readings and exercises and online discussion. Participants will be required to complete assignments based on literature research in the field of international surgery. These assignments will be used to confirm the participant’s understanding of the concepts of the course material and their ability to discuss these. Participants should expect to allocate an average of 8-10 hours per week.
Some of the topics covered in the nine modules include:
Module #1 International Surgery as an Evolving Discipline-Defining international surgery
-Influences that have shaped surgery’s place in international health
-WHO and the Global Initiative for Emergency & Essential Surgical Care
Module #2 The Global Burden of Surgical Disease & Disability
-The global burden of disease as a concept
-Surgical disease & disability as a global public health concern
-Unmet surgical need globally
Module #3 Trauma: a Global Pandemic
-The trauma pandemic
-Need for trauma prevention strategies & the challenge of trauma care
-Trauma care in complex humanitarian crises
Module #4 Global Maternal Mortality-an Important Surgical Issue
-The importance of this surgical issue
-Maternal mortality & morbidity-set in background of poverty & gender inequity
-Outcome metrics & maternal mortality
Module #5 The Spectrum of International Surgery Involvement
-Categorization of involvement
-Volunteerism
-Trainee electives
Module #6 Principles of Development
-Millennium development goals
-Required elements for development in surgical projects
-Sustainability
Module #7 Surgical Care Education in Global Low-Resource Settings
-Current status of the global surgical-care workforce
-Designing an appropriate curriculum for the training of specialists
-Wider & more realistic view of the surgical-care team
Module #8 Ethical Issues in International Surgery
-Introduction to ethics & health care
-The reality of ethical dilemmas & cultural relativism
-Ethics in international surgery research
Module #9 The Role of Surgical Care Professionals as Advocates in International Health
-Need for advocacy in international surgery
-WHO definition of advocacy & other definitions
-Advocacy methodologies
ASSIGNMENTS AND GRADING
Participants will be expected to complete three assignments by preset due dates. The grading of each assignment is as follows:
Assignment #1 Case study (2000-2500 words) 30%
Assignment #2Essay (1500-2000 words) 30%
Assignment #3 Design a Program (2500-3000 words)30%
Participation in online discussions10%
COURSE MATERIAL
All course materials will be provided to you. Links to the recommended readings are included with the online course modules and further reading references are suggested for each module. Once registered you are provided with access to the University of British Columbia’s Library facilities including downloadable journals and catalogues. The course also features video interviews.
Participants that successfully complete this course can enrol in subsequent courses that will lead to a Masters degree in the field of International Surgery. The Masters is currently being developed and will be is expected to roll out in September 2011. Credits for SURG 510 can be 'banked' and transferred to the Masters program within the given time frame specified by the University’s Faculty of Graduate Studies.
UPON COMPLETION OF THE COURSE, PARTICIPANTS
WILL HAVE GAINED:
- Increased understanding of the global status of unmet surgical need.
- A broader appreciation of the ethical issues, the role of advocacy, and the models of surgical care education in international surgery.
- Knowledge of the need for injury prevention strategies and for global maternal mortality and morbidity solutions.
- New perspectives on the spectrum of involvement in international surgical activities including volunteerism.
- Familiarity with the principles of development in international surgery.
INTENDED PARTICIPANTS:
Graduate level students, postgraduate trainees, surgeons or surgery-related health practitioners.
Non-medical graduate students or others may register with permission from the Instructor.
FACULTY:
Our faculty have a long association with the University of British Columbia and the Branch for International Surgery and have been involved in surgical service, education, capacity building/releasing and research in low-resource settings of the globe.
Dr. Robert H. Taylor, MDCM, MIH, DipTM, FRCSC
Clinical Associate Professor, Dept. of Surgery (General Surgery), UBC
Dr. Brian Westerberg, MD, MHSc, FRCSC
Clinical Associate Professor, Dept. of Surgery (Otology & Neurotology), UBC
Dr. David Fairholm, MD, Dip Med Ed, FRCSC
Clinical Professor, Dept. of Surgery, (Neurosurgery), UBC
ADMISSION & REGISTRATION:
UBC Graduate Applicants –register through your established UBC account and follow graduate level registration procedures.
Non-UBC Graduate Applicants-register through UBC’s Faculty of Graduate Studies
Residents and other Applicants who wish to apply to the course as an unclassified student or visitor should complete the Application Form and return it to the Branch for International Surgery , fax 604 875 4036. We will send you a letter acknowledging receipt of your application and assigning a UBC reference number. We will then evaluate your application and respond to you in writing as soon as possible.
NOTE: offers of admission or re-admission are valid only for the session indicated on the letter of acceptance.
English Competency:English is the primary language of instruction at UBC. All prospective students are required to demonstrate competence in the English language prior to admission.
Applicants from a university outside Canada in which English is not the primary language of instruction must present a one page Statement of Intent, in English, outlining why they wish to take the course and their competency to pursue studies in the English language. The Statement of Intent must be signed by a university faculty member. No offer of admission will be extended until the English competency requirement has been met.
TUITION COST:
Tuition costs are set by the UBC Board of Governors and subject to change. All costs are in Canadian dollars.
UBC Graduate Students: Cost as per your graduate program.
Residents, UBC Undergraduate Students accepted into the Course, an unclassified student (non-degree) or visitors the cost per credit is $347.79 or a total of $1043.37 A $45.00 Distance Education non –refundable administrative fee is charged.
International Students: The per credit cost is $676.86, or a total of $2030.58. A $45.00 Distance Education non –refundable administrative fee is charged. Additional fees may also apply.
TECHNOLOGY REQUIREMENTS:
You should have high speed (T1, ADSL, cable or ISDN) access to the Internet, including the ability send and receive emails with attachments. An active email account is required and once admitted to the course you have the option of using a UBC email. The course is delivered via WebCT Vista, a learning management system, as well as other online learning technologies. Participants’ computers must run Windows or Mac OS X, with the following applications:
- Microsoft Office, including MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint
- Firefox or Safari web browser, with pop-ups turned on
- JAVA
- Quicktime and Flash browser plug-ins
Participants in the course are responsible for maintaining computer hardware and software required for their participation in the online course. Some course materials may be deliveredas PDF files. We recommend that you install Acrobat Reader which is free from
About the Branch for International Surgery
TheBranch for International Surgery, UBC is dedicated to advancing surgical care in international health. The Branch is committed to improving surgical care in underserved populations around the world. In addition to offering the groundbreaking accredited course SURG 510 (Distance Education)—Surgical Care in International Health, the Branch supports new and innovative research on the burden of unmet surgical need in low-resource regions of the globe as well as dialogue on global surgical care issues. Our faculty members are engaged in surgical care initiatives in over 30 countries enhancing service, education, capacity building/releasing and research.
Contact: Branch for International Surgery, UBC
Attention: Program Manager, SURG 510
Room 3104, 910 West 10th Avenue
Vancouver, British Columbia, CANADA V5Z 4E3
Email:
Tel: 604 875 5372
Fax: 604 875 4036
Branch for International Surgery UBC ,Email: , Tel: 604 875 5372;