UBC residents receive Branch for International Surgery 2011 research awards

UBC residents in orthopedics, obstetrics and gynecology, general surgery and otolaryngology have been awarded this year’s Branch for International Surgery (BIS) research awards. The four annual $2,500 research grants are provided to UBC surgery-related residents interested in expanding their understanding of the burden of unmet surgical care in low resource regions.

Flora-Hua Teng is focussing on a qualitative analysis of cervical cancer screening in Kisenyi, Uganda. Anali Dadogstar’s project is to assess the impact of mental practice on mastoidectomy surgical skills among Ugandan otolaryngology residents. One of the challenges faced by UBC orthopaedic missions to Uganda is the lack of adequate and appropriate orthopaedic instrumentation and implants. Lise Leveille is conducting a needs assessment of orthopaedic services to help focus the procurement of instrumentation and implants that are practical and applicable for low resource settings. Dan Jenkin is conducting a surgical needs assessment for the North Gondor zone of Amhara in Ethiopia.

BIS’s annual grants are made possible through the continual support of the Canadian Network for International Surgery and Canadian International Development Agency.