Introduction:

In 1998, at the instigation of Dr. Bob Taylor, CAGS established a new committee called the Liaison Committee for the Advancement of Surgical Services in the Developing World to raise the profile among its membership of the surgical needs in developing countries and to provide a process whereby links can be established between interested members and credible organizations that are working with providers in these countries to improve the provision of surgical care. In 2005 the name was simplified to the CAGS Committee for International Surgery.

We are very pleased to announce two new projects that provide Canadian Surgeons with the opportunity to volunteer at St Mary’s Hospital, Lacor in Uganda and the Georgetown Teaching Hospital, University Medical School in Guyana.

There is widespread interest among CAGS members and resident members about opportunities to work in International Surgery, but until now it has been difficult to access information about how to go about organizing a volunteer experience abroad. This website is intended to make such information easily available to Canadian surgeons from all specialties.

There are three principal Canadian Organizations serving Canadian Surgeons interested in International Surgery: This Committee (CAGS-CIS) represents the professional association side; the Canadian Network for International surgery (CNIS) is an NGO founded in 1995 that operates a number of projects in east Africa and the University of Toronto Office of International Surgery, founded in 2000, represents the academic side.

The Annual Bethune Round Table on International Surgery, named after Dr. Norman Bethune, Canada’s most famous international Surgeon brings surgeons from across Canada and around the world to discuss the issues of surgical education and research for development. For announcements regarding this years’ BRT and for the proceedings of previous BRTs, please see our website, here.

For more information about CAGS - CIS, please contact your regional CAGS - CIS Faculty Advisor.