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FAQs

Why should I come to the GASOC #GlobalMedTech conference?

  • Learn from field experts about the breadth of technological innovations facilitating progress in global surgery

  • Meet like-minded colleagues to share project ideas and gain advice about incorporating global surgery into your career. We received overwhelmingly positive feedback from our last conference, indicating that many were inspired to pursue research in global surgery.

  • A chance to present your work in global surgery and global medical technology: prizes will be awarded for the best presentation and best poster

 

What can I expect from the day?

The conference aims to unite students, doctors, engineers, innovators and other health professionals in the fields of surgery, anaesthesia and obstetrics with a shared passion for global surgery.

 

PART 1: SPEAKER SESSIONS AND PANEL DISCUSSION

Our current list of confirmed speakers includes:

  • Professor David Jayne: Director NIHR Global Surgery Research Group – Surgical Technologies, University of Leeds

  • Professor Jenny Dankelman: Head of the Department of Biomechanical Engineering at Delft University of Technology, Professor of Minimally Invasive Techniques

  • Ms Adriana Velazquez Berumen: WHO Lead on medical devices, Geneva (via teleconference

  • Dr Jesudian Gnanaraj: Lancet Commission for Public Health Surgical Champion, Board member of G4 Alliance

  • Dr Shobi Nagraj: MRC Clinical Research Fellow in Global Maternal Child Health, University of Oxford

  • Mr Tim Beacon: CEO of Medical Aid International

 

PART 2: HACKATHON (led by Dr William Bolton, Director/Co-Founder of MedTech Foundation)

A global surgery ‘problem’ will be posed and delegates will work in groups to come up with potential technological ‘solutions’.

 

What opportunities are there for me?

ABSTRACT SUBMISSIONS

  • Submit an abstract on a topic related to global surgery or global applications of medical technology.

 

ON THE DAY

  • Take the opportunity to ask questions of world experts in #GlobalMedTech.

  • Participate in our interactive panel discussion.

  • Work alongside other attendees to come up with a creative solution to a global surgery problem in our Hackathon. Delegates with anaesthesia-related proposals will be supported by the Royal College of Anaesthetists in presenting their idea to the global e-learning committee with potential funding and development for projects. We are collaborating with other agencies for similar support for surgical, obstetric and more generally applicable projects.

  • Network with others who are also passionate about global surgery to set up sustainable global surgery projects with the support of the GASOC committee.

 

Why Leeds?

The reputation that Leeds has for being a hub for development and innovation in medical technology befits this year's GASOC conference.

 

The Surgical Technologies branch of the NIHR Global Health Research Group at the University of Leeds aims to address unmet surgical needs in low and middle income countries (LMICs) through novel surgical technology innovation. The group utilises Leeds’ expertise from surgery, global health sciences, surgical engineering and health economics to collaborate with in-country partners, industry and governmental representatives to ensure technology is developed and implemented sustainably. Their current project in rural North-East India involves training and evaluation of Gas Insufflation-Less Laparoscopic Surgery (GILLS) and the development of a low cost laparoscopic simulator. In Sierra Leone, they are running a feasibility trail for the management of closed tibial fractures using the Ilizarov frame. A third project involves using Virtual Reality technology to train surgeons in Sierra Leone.

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The University of Leeds has very recently launched the Centre for Immersive Technologies, which brings together researchers in medical engineering, surgical technologies and global health. One of the Centre’s aims is to use immersive virtual reality technologies to generate effective surgical training packages for use in developing countries.

 

Practically speaking, Leeds is a well connected city, with excellent transport links by road, rail and air. Crowned the unofficial capital of Yorkshire and named in Lonely Planet’s ‘Best in Europe 2017’ list, Leeds also offers lots of opportunity for recreation before and after the conference! There is a mixture of old and new attractions, a variety of shopping destinations, and an outstanding range of galleries for delegates to take advantage of.

 

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Why is there no morning coffee break?

An important question but not to worry - there will be coffee at registration in the morning! We are having a late start to the conference, at 10 am, to enable those commuting on the day to be able to attend. We have packed the morning session, before lunch, with engaging speaker sessions as well as time for questions after each talk to promote discussion. We will be breaking for lunch after just over 2 hours of conference content.

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