General surgery and intl work

[ucsfer]

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What is the scope for international work in general surgery? I've heard of people going abroad for a few weeks at a time and runing surgery camps. However, are there opportunities for involvement in international health policy? Do people do clinical research abroad as they do in women's health?

 

[DoctorDoom]

The scope is wide and varied, from Doctors Without Borders to evangelical surgical missions to doctors who just go and practice in rural thrid world areas out of interest. Involvement in international helth policy usually requires some signifcant international exposure (on the order of years) and making the right contacts, and there are certainly clinical research opportunities. Best to get yourself some limited exposure in international surgical electives or things like Operation Smile as a volunteer to get a sense of the field, and pursue contacts from there. Suffice it to say the opportunities are out there.