Global Health

Transforming Global Healthcare Through Collaboration

For over 20 years, the Department of Anesthesiology’s Global Health Program has focused on training the next generation of healthcare leaders in resource-limited countries. Rather than participating in traditional "medical missions," we empower local providers by equipping them with the skills to care for their communities. Our residents have been involved from the start, ensuring that education remains central to our global health efforts.

We are dedicated to building sustainable, education-focused programs that are developed by and for local practitioners. Our goal is to train future anesthesia leaders who can address the specific needs of their communities. By combining in-person education with remote learning, we aim to create a lasting impact and maintain strong international partnerships.

Dr Candice Morrissey and Dr. Steve Rondeau colleague teaching echocardiography in a woman thought to have cardiomyopathy in pregnancy at the Women’s Hospital in Phnom Penh. — Dr. Candice Morrissey and her AIM colleague, Dr. Steve Rondeau, teaching echocardiography in a woman thought to have cardiomyopathy in pregnancy at the Women’s Hospital in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. (2024)

Featured Trip

A group of 10 people in scrubs and caps smiling for a photo in a hallway in a medical facility.

Building Bridges in Anesthesia Education: U of U's Global Health Trip to The Gambia

This fall, the University of Utah’s Department of Anesthesiology embarked on a 13-day educational mission to The Gambia, partnering with the American International University of West Africa (AIUWA) Nurse Anesthesia School. Through lectures, workshops, and hands-on collaboration, the team worked to advance anesthesia education and patient care in the region.

Expanding Global Health Through Multidisciplinary Collaboration

The Department of Anesthesiology’s global health efforts began with a 15-year collaboration in Ghana, where we helped establish an anesthesiology residency program and a self-sustaining refresher course. Since 2016, we have focused on The Gambia, working with institutions like the American International University of West Africa to mentor research projects, lead small group sessions, and teach simulation-based methods.

In Cambodia, our Perioperative Echocardiography Group partners with the Alliance for International Medicine (AIM) to deliver annual ultrasound workshops and critical care conferences for medical schools in Phnom Penh. Collaborations with the University of Utah’s Center for Global Surgery further extend our efforts, training providers in laparoscopic surgery.

Logos for the American International University of West Africa, Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital, Bundung Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Bundung Maternal and Child Health Hospital, and the Alliance for International Medicine.

These initiatives, along with our work with the Office of Global Health to develop a simulation center in The Gambia, reflect our commitment to building sustainable, education-focused partnerships that empower local healthcare providers and address community-specific needs worldwide.

“Despite practicing under different conditions, these nurse anesthetists are our colleagues, united by a shared goal: providing safe anesthesia care. This understanding fosters empathy and collaboration. I believe global health is a two-way street, where we not only serve but also learn from the community. My experience reinforced that the principles of human physiology, pharmacology, and anesthesia remain constant worldwide. There are many approaches to anesthesia, and ours is not necessarily superior or the only way.”
Dr. Flora Liu, CA-3

Innovative Education Methods

The COVID-19 pandemic paused our ability to travel to The Gambia for several years, but we maintained our partnership with AIUWA by remotely teaching a Quality Improvement Patient Safety (QIPS) course for three consecutive years. Adapted from the course taught to University of Utah Anesthesiology residents, it was tailored to fit the practice environment in The Gambia. The program includes lectures, group discussions, and quality improvement projects, with contributions from multiple departments, including Anesthesiology, Public Health, and Value Engineering.

Now that in-person visits have resumed, we look forward to launching the 2025 iteration of the course on-site. Many thanks to Dr. Somya Mishra, Dr. Scott Adair, and Dr. Emma Rousakis for the countless hours they invested to make this online course possible for the students in The Gambia.