University of Utah Center for Global Surgery

06/05/2025

Nearly 20 years ago, a seemingly small connection between friends sparked an enduring partnership between the University of Utah and Mongolia—one that has grown into a global health initiative transforming healthcare systems to this day.

Led by Raymond Price, MD, FACS, this partnership has trained over 400 Mongolian doctors, introduced laparoscopic surgery to remote regions, and inspired generations of U surgeons and students.

In 2024, President Taylor Randall traveled to Mongolia to sign new memoranda of understanding (MOUs)—formal agreements to strengthen academic and healthcare collaboration—with national institutions. And in March 2025, the U hosted a Mongolian delegation, bridging healthcare, education, and even athletics.

This story reminds us: when institutions like ours engage with the world’s most pressing health needs, lives are changed—at home and abroad.

🔗 Read the full story HERE: https://www.global.utah.edu/stories/building-bridges-through-medicine/

University of Utah Department of Surgery

The Story Behind the U's Longstanding Health Partnership with Mongolia Nearly 20 years ago, a seemingly small connection between friends sparked an enduring partnership between...

05/12/2025

Upcoming Events for The Center for Global Surgery
Join us for two exciting events focused on global health research and the groundbreaking work being done in global surgical care:

1. Multidisciplinary Global Health Research Grand Rounds
Rainbow Clinics: Adapting Perinatal Loss Services in Kigali, Rwanda
Presented by Sarah Leisher, PhD, and Adolphe Karageya, MD, Mmed, MSCI
🗓️ Date: Wednesday, May 14
⏰ Time: Noon (MST)
💻 Format: Hybrid (In-person & Virtual)

2. Center for Global Surgery Highlights
Four speakers sharing the groundbreaking work being done in global surgical care
Keynote Speaker: Brad Rockwell, MD
🗓️ Date: Wednesday, May 28
⏰ Time: Noon (MST)
💻 Format: Zoom

For more info, contact GlobalSurgery@hsc.utah.edu. Stay tuned for more updates!

04/22/2025

Expanding global healthcare efforts is essential for creating lasting change.

The University of Utah's Center for Global Surgery is proud to witness the impact of our training efforts in Cambodia. Surgeons we’ve mentored are now taking the lead, recently hosting a two-day workshop with the Endoscopic and Laparoscopic Surgeons of Asia (ELSA).

The workshop included didactic sessions, dry/wet labs, and live surgeries, such as laparoscopic sigmoid resection and CBD exploration. Notably, they utilized the same donated training boxes we provided, demonstrating the sustainability of our program. This is a powerful example of empowering local experts to strengthen their own healthcare systems.

04/15/2025

Upcoming Events for The Center for Global Surgery 📅

Join us for two exciting events focused on global health research and education this month:

1. Multidisciplinary Global Health Research Grand Rounds
RTS, S Malaria Vaccine Research in Africa: Our Experience in Ghana
- Presented by Dr. Daniel Ansong
🗓️ Date: Wednesday, April 16th, 2025
⏰ Time: 12:00 PM (MST)
💻 Format: Hybrid (In-person & Virtual)

2. Multidisciplinary Global Health Research Grand Rounds
Malaria Parasite Responses to the Human Sickle Cell Allele
- Presented by Ellen Leffler, PhD
🗓️ Date: Wednesday, April 30th, 2025
⏰ Time: 12:00 PM (MST)
💻 Format: Hybrid (In-person & Virtual)

For more info, contact GlobalSurgery@hsc.utah.edu. Stay tuned for more updates!

04/02/2025

Advance global health equity and support the U of U Health’s Center for Global Surgery.

03/13/2025

We were honored to welcome an esteemed delegation from Mongolia, including leaders from the Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences (MNUMS) and the National Cancer Center of Mongolia. Together, we signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that formalizes collaboration in education, research, and clinical care.

Global partnerships like this not only enhance medical training and patient care in Mongolia but also bring invaluable opportunities for shared learning, innovation, and surgical advancements here at home and around the world.

Excited for the future of this collaboration!

03/13/2025

Join us on Wednesday, March 19 at noon (ZOOM) for updates on our collaborative projects in Hawassa, Ethiopia by our current fellow Tomas Tesfasilassie, MD.

Please contact GlobalSurgery@hsc.utah.edu for more information.

02/27/2025

Join us Wednesday, March 5 at noon (HYBRID) for a discussion lead by Sarah Menacho, MD, MBA. She will deliver a presentation on Global Health and Neurosurgery.

Please contact GlobalSurgery@hsc.utah.edu for more information.

02/25/2025

Expanding Her Scope with SWIU: Dr. Catherine deVries on Navigating Challenges for Sustainable Global Impact with Dr. Catherine deVries

🎧 Don't miss the podcast featuring Catherine deVries, MD, MS! deVries shares her journey as a pioneering woman in urology, her leadership with IVUMed, and her impactful work in global health. In this episode, she delves into her groundbreaking contributions to sustainable surgical care programs, the importance of ethics in global health, and the challenges of conducting surgical missions. Her insights on shaping the future of urology and public health are truly invaluable.

Listen to the full episode here: https://www.backtable.com/shows/urology/podcasts/212/expanding-her-scope-with-swiu-dr-catherine-devries-on-navigating-challenges-for-sustainable-global-impact?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAabO66sGLJ0Ohp_X82xkl4hWKSBrlkP5j5yD59Lhdj1MlRJnwlLIMwZvwX8_aem_BlkA9EN7YA8La_XT4c1d3Q ! ✨

02/22/2025

Join us for lunch and a discussion on Infectious Disease Dynamics and Global Health: Using Transmission Models to Improve Treatment Guidelines, presented by Lindsay Keegan, PhD. The event will take place on Wednesday, February 26th, 2025, at 12:00 PM (HYBRID).

Sponsored by the Center for Global Surgery, 3i, and the Office of Global Health Education.

Please contact GlobalSurgery@hsc.utah.edu for more information.

02/21/2025

Pov Thol, a caregiver at a large orphanage in Cambodia, suffering from gallbladder disease delayed her surgery due to the responsibilities she has caring for children at the orphanage. Thanks to the recent laparoscopic training program led by the University of Utah’s Center for Global Surgery, she was able to receive a minimally invasive cholecystectomy at Battambang Provincial Hospital.

Pov’s surgery was a success, and within a few days, she was back home. Just a week later, she had fully returned to caring for the children within the orphanage. Her story highlights how expanding surgical care can change lives—not just for individual patients, but for entire communities.

02/20/2025

Nin Chomreoun, an ICU nurse at Battambang Provincial Hospital, became the first patient to undergo a laparoscopic appendectomy at the hospital, thanks to a recent training program led by the University of Utah’s Center for Global Surgery.

For years, limited access to minimally invasive surgery meant longer recoveries for patients. But during this program, local surgeons learned laparoscopic techniques, expanding surgical care in the region. When Nin developed acute appendicitis, the newly trained team successfully performed the hospital’s first laparoscopic appendectomy. She was back on her feet in days, marking a major step toward better surgical care in Battambang.