Who We Are

The Global Surgery Student Alliance (GSSA) is a national non-profit organization affiliated with the International Student Surgical Network (InciSioN) aiming to educate, inspire, and unite students at U.S. universities and medical schools through engagement and mentorship in global surgery related topics.

Here at the University of Michigan, our undergraduate GSSA chapter strives to replicate this vision by educating our members about global healthcare inequities through workshops, seminars, and panels with healthcare professionals. Despite GSSA being predominantly directed at students who would like to pursue a future profession in the medical field, our chapter hopes to highlight the multidisciplinary nature of healthcare by incorporating elements from other disciplines as well, fostering an intellectual environment where collaboration flourishes and diversity is celebrated. By providing members with the opportunity to build connections with UM medical students and staff, and engaging our organization in projects that reach beyond campus, Michigan GSSA hopes to act as a bridge for students to fully understand the challenges associated with global health, ultimately shaping future healthcare providers into thinking about medicine and surgery from a more inclusive, global point of view.

Interested in learning more?

Illustrated: Public health student and current member, Sabrina Yousif, showcasing her research on the efficacy of Medical Arabic at the 2024 End-of-Year UM GSSA Research Symposium.

Our Mission

Our chapter strives to educate undergraduate students at the University of Michigan about global healthcare inequities and promote activism for sustainable and accessible surgical care worldwide. Michigan GSSA integrates a balance of educational, service and research opportunities for members to be able to make an impact on the local and global communities that surround them - and it remains our objective to inspire students not only through involvement with global surgery, but also through mentorship. Ultimately, we wish to build a community of like-minded individuals working toward the same goal: advocating for a world in which healthcare is considered an incontestable right and ensuring that surgical care, too, forms a part of that right.

What we do to fulfill our mission:

---------------------------------------

Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion:

We are committed to creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment for our members, building a space where every idea is respected, and every one individual has the opportunity to grow. Composed of 96 students from different academic and cultural backgrounds, our chapter constantly works to highlight different perspectives and encourage discussion among peers. With so many unique stories and academic orientations, we wish to truly reflect the value of interdisciplinarity, and promote the three values of diversity, equity and inclusion along with collaboration, creativity and respect for all. As with all other organizations on campus, Michigan Global Surgery Student Alliance understands and is committed to fulfilling its responsibilities of abiding by The University of Michigan policies and procedures.

”Health is a human right, and no one should have to live with a condition that would have been treated had they been born somewhere else."

Stay in the Know: Connect With Us on Instagram

UPDATE ----------- UPDATE ---------- UPDATE

Interested in joining Michigan GSSA? Our Winter 2025 application is now LIVE. Please make sure that you have attended one of our two info sessions, or communicated to board beforehand if you had any issues fulfilling this pre-requisite. We look forward to reading your applications soon!

NOTE: The application form will close firmly at 8pm on Wednesday, January 22nd.

Thank you to our partners.