Marissa A Boeck1,2,3, Laura F Goodman4, Yihan Lin5,6, Brittanie Wilczak7, Girma Tefera8,9. 1. Division of Trauma and Critical Care, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, NMH/Arkes Family Pavilion Suite 650, 676 N Saint Clair, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA. 2. Center for Surgery and Public Health, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, One Brigham, Circle, 1620 Tremont St 4-020, Boston, MA, 02120, USA. 3. Department of Surgery, New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia, MHB-7GS-313, 177 Ft. Washington Ave, New York, NY, 10032, USA. 4. Department of Surgery, University of California Davis Medical Center, 2315 Stockton Boulevard, OP 512, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA. 5. Department of Surgery, University of Colorado School of Medicine, 12631 E. 17th Ave, C302, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA. 6. Program in Global Surgery and Social Change, Harvard Medical School, 641 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA. 7. Division of Member Services, Operation Giving Back, American College of Surgeons, Operation Giving Back, 633 N. Saint Clair St, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA. 8. Division of Member Services, Operation Giving Back, American College of Surgeons, Operation Giving Back, 633 N. Saint Clair St, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA. gtefera@facs.org. 9. Department of Surgery, Vascular Surgery, University of Wisconsin Madison, G5/325, Clinical Science Center, 600 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI, 53792, USA. gtefera@facs.org.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Five billion people worldwide lack access to safe surgery. American College of Surgeons (ACS) members have a strong history of humanitarian and volunteer work. Since its founding in 2004, Operation Giving Back (OGB) has served as a volunteer resource portal. This study sought to understand current activities, needs, and barriers to ACS member volunteerism, and to re-assess the role of OGB. METHODS: A 25-question electronic survey was sent to ACS members in August 2015. Utilizing branching logic, those who were involved or interested in volunteerism completed the full survey. Data were assessed using univariable analysis methods. RESULTS: Three percent (n = 1764) of those e-mailed answered the survey. Respondents were mostly men (82%), ≥50 years of age (61%), and general surgeons (70%). Fifty-three percent (n = 937) reported current or past volunteer activities, and 76.5% (n = 1349) were interested in activities within three years. Approximately 84% were interested in international volunteerism and 55% in domestic volunteerism. Few (5.7%) had both training and experience in emergency and disaster response, and only 17% had institutional salary support. Eighty-two percent wished to work with OGB, and 418 indicated organizations with whom they are involved could benefit from OGB collaboration. CONCLUSIONS: Interest in surgical volunteerism among ACS member survey respondents is high. OGB has the opportunity to meet member needs by developing programmatic activities, identifying volunteer prospects, facilitating multi-institutional consortia, and leading pre-deployment training. By maximizing volunteer efforts, OGB has the potential to foster sustainable and scalable ethical practices to improve basic access to surgical care globally.
BACKGROUND: Five billion people worldwide lack access to safe surgery. American College of Surgeons (ACS) members have a strong history of humanitarian and volunteer work. Since its founding in 2004, Operation Giving Back (OGB) has served as a volunteer resource portal. This study sought to understand current activities, needs, and barriers to ACS member volunteerism, and to re-assess the role of OGB. METHODS: A 25-question electronic survey was sent to ACS members in August 2015. Utilizing branching logic, those who were involved or interested in volunteerism completed the full survey. Data were assessed using univariable analysis methods. RESULTS: Three percent (n = 1764) of those e-mailed answered the survey. Respondents were mostly men (82%), ≥50 years of age (61%), and general surgeons (70%). Fifty-three percent (n = 937) reported current or past volunteer activities, and 76.5% (n = 1349) were interested in activities within three years. Approximately 84% were interested in international volunteerism and 55% in domestic volunteerism. Few (5.7%) had both training and experience in emergency and disaster response, and only 17% had institutional salary support. Eighty-two percent wished to work with OGB, and 418 indicated organizations with whom they are involved could benefit from OGB collaboration. CONCLUSIONS: Interest in surgical volunteerism among ACS member survey respondents is high. OGB has the opportunity to meet member needs by developing programmatic activities, identifying volunteer prospects, facilitating multi-institutional consortia, and leading pre-deployment training. By maximizing volunteer efforts, OGB has the potential to foster sustainable and scalable ethical practices to improve basic access to surgical care globally.
Authors: Tiffany E Chao; Johanna N Riesel; Geoffrey A Anderson; John T Mullen; Jennifer Doyle; Susan M Briggs; Keith D Lillemoe; Chris Goldstein; David Kitya; James C Cusack Journal: J Surg Educ Date: 2015-02-16 Impact factor: 2.891
Authors: Sierra R Matula; Jason Beers; Jennifer Errante; Douglas Grey; Paul B Hofmann; William P Schecter Journal: J Am Coll Surg Date: 2009-10-08 Impact factor: 6.113
Authors: Mackenzie Cook; Benjamin M Howard; Angela Yu; Douglas Grey; Paul B Hofmann; Alexis M Moren; Mabula Mchembe; Abbas Essajee; Omari Mndeme; James Peck; William P Schecter Journal: JAMA Surg Date: 2015-11 Impact factor: 14.766
Authors: John G Meara; Andrew J M Leather; Lars Hagander; Blake C Alkire; Nivaldo Alonso; Emmanuel A Ameh; Stephen W Bickler; Lesong Conteh; Anna J Dare; Justine Davies; Eunice Dérivois Mérisier; Shenaaz El-Halabi; Paul E Farmer; Atul Gawande; Rowan Gillies; Sarah L M Greenberg; Caris E Grimes; Russell L Gruen; Edna Adan Ismail; Thaim Buya Kamara; Chris Lavy; Ganbold Lundeg; Nyengo C Mkandawire; Nakul P Raykar; Johanna N Riesel; Edgar Rodas; John Rose; Nobhojit Roy; Mark G Shrime; Richard Sullivan; Stéphane Verguet; David Watters; Thomas G Weiser; Iain H Wilson; Gavin Yamey; Winnie Yip Journal: Lancet Date: 2015-04-26 Impact factor: 79.321