Global Surgical Innovation
Annual National Conference 2023

On April 1st, the Michigan Global Surgery Student Alliance hosted the Annual Global Surgery Conference centered around the theme of surgical innovation. From the Big House to the conference opening by UM President Ono to the black tie gala, our GSSA students orchestrated an unforgettable weekend for 72 universities, connecting over 500 student leaders! Check out the following link below to learn more about the event.

Click here to download the 2023 National GSSA Annual Report, and read about the conference on Page 11!

Referral System for Ectopic Pregnancy (RSEP) Project Team

RSEP, or Referral System for Ectopic Pregnancy, is a team working to improve outcomes for patients with ectopic pregnancy at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), located in Accra, Ghana. KBTH is the largest referral hospital in Ghana and West Africa, serving a vast network of patients in the region. RSEP consists of six GSSA members—Varsha Shankar, Romir Jha, Kayla Haddad, Amby Agiwal, Diya Gehlaut, and Nathalie Tsimhoni—as well as UM Advisor and Clinical Assistant Professor of OB/GYN Dr. Emma Lawrence, KBTH OB/GYN and Maternal Fetal Medicine Consultant Dr. Perez Sepenu, KBTH OB/GYN and Senior Lecturer at University of Ghana Medical School Dr. Promise Sefogah, and UM OB/GYN and Global Women’s Health Fellow Dr. Zoë Zimmer

The team has received IRB approval from KBTH and UM for their current study, which aims to (1) evaluate and describe the current clinical and referral processes for the diagnosis and management of ectopic pregnancy at KBTH, (2) gauge an understanding of both patient and provider perspectives on the referral and treatment pathway for ectopic pregnancy, and (3) describe patient experience in relation to mental health impacts and mental/emotional support received. RSEP has received funding from the University of Michigan’s Center for Global Health Equity, the University of Michigan’s Office of Academic Multicultural Initiatives, the University of Michigan School of Public Health, and the University of Michigan Student Organization Funding Committee (Central Student Government).

Read more on the scientific background and problem statement below:

An ectopic pregnancy occurs when a fertilized egg implants outside of the uterus, in a location that cannot support fetal development.1 Over 90% of cases implant in the fallopian tube, between the ovaries and uterus.2 In rare cases, they can also occur in the ovaries, cervix, or abdominal cavity. Pregnancies outside of the uterus cannot support a growing embryo, often leading to severe bleeding and rupture of the fallopian tube. This causes intra-abdominal hemorrhage and hemodynamic compromise, and can be life-threatening.2,3

While only 2% of pregnancies are ectopic, they are the primary contributor to maternal morbidity and mortality in the first trimester, accounting for 75% of early-pregnancy maternal mortality and 8% of global maternal deaths.2,4 Ectopic pregnancy remains a leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality, especially in cases where delays in care lead to a rupture of the fallopian tubal pregnancy. In Ghana, limited access to healthcare, diagnostic tools, and standardized protocols make the timely diagnosis and care of ectopic pregnancy challenging, with little data on referral practices and barriers to prompt effective management. Additionally, RSEP OB/GYN team members identify ectopic pregnancy patients’ mental health as a recurring theme in their own practice.

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1. Ectopic Pregnancy: What Is It? Cleveland Clinic. Accessed July 13, 2025. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9687-ectopic-pregnancy

2. Chong KY, de Waard L, Oza M, et al. Ectopic pregnancy. Nat Rev Dis Primer. 2024;10(1):94. doi:10.1038/s41572-024-00579-x

3. Say L, Chou D, Gemmill A, et al. Global causes of maternal death: a WHO systematic analysis. Lancet Glob Health. 2014;2(6):e323-e333. doi:10.1016/s2214-109x(14)70227-x

4.Carvalhais BS, Resende MGD, Costa LAM da, Fernandes BP, Barros BER de. Diagnósticos diferenciais essenciais na avaliação clínica da Apendicite Aguda. Res Soc Dev. 2024;13(8):e13213846708-e13213846708. doi:10.33448/rsd-v13i8.46708

Ilustrated: RSEP Team Members Romir, Diya, Nathalie, and Kayla (N/P: Amby and Varsha) after Oral Presentation at 2025 GSSA Research Symposium

Global Health Equity Challenge 2024/CSPE Project Team

At the 2024 University of Michigan Student Organization Global Health Equity Challenge, six of our GSSA members [Jina Patel, Angelina Hamati, Venkatesh Alagappan, Jaffy Jeevaraj, Sophia Fisher, and Aanchal Jain] presented their project titled “Evaluating Current Practices of Patient Education of Cesarean Section Wound Care in Ethiopia" in front of an audience of judges, achieving an outstanding second-place finish in the competition. This placement in the pitch competition provided an award of $3,000, along with priceless experiences in interdisciplinary collaboration and problem-solving for those involved.

Read more on the scientific background and problem statement below:

This project team's mission is to identify the relationship between health literacy and C-section surgical site infection rates at St. Paul's Hospital located in Ethiopia. Routine surgical and medical procedure protocols are standardized across Ethiopian hospitals, but C-section surgical sites differ significantly in terms of health literacy and dissemination of patient self-care education. This discrepancy is thought to originate from several factors that set St. Paul's Hospital apart from nearby healthcare institutions, particularly its large size, central location, rate of emergency cases, and the more common incidence of language barriers impacting patient-provider communication. In particular, the statistics highlight that mothers who are discharged from the hospital with a greater level of education on Cesarean section wound care are, in fact, 1.2 times less likely to develop a surgical site infection (SSI) post-partum than those who do not receive such supplemental care information. In the past year, CSPE has interviewed both providers and patients about patient-provider communication on wound care, and developed surveys, visual aids, and a proposed intervention to promote healthcare literacy on this topic.

2024 End-of-Year Research Symposium

On April 21, 2024 GSSA held its End-Of-Year Research Symposium, providing members with the opportunity to present their own research in front of an audience, as well as engage with the projects of their peers. During the event, our organization had the pleasure of being joined by three wonderful Michigan Medicine guest speakers: Dr. Karin Muraszko, Dr. Joseph Kolars, and Dr. Robin Petroze. Symposia like these provide students with the opportunity to practice their presentation skills while learning about ongoing projects and discoveries in the world of medicine. Some research topics presented at the event included the following: Alveolar Neutrophilia, ECMO Chest Tube Complications, Ex-Vivo Heart Perfusion, Medulloblastoma Cell Lines, Cuprizone-induced Demyelinating Disease, the Efficacy of Medical Arabic, and more!

2025 End-of-Year Research Symposium

On April 12, 2025, GSSA held its second annual End-Of-Year Research Symposium, in collaboration with the Michigan State University GSSA chapter. Members presented their research, engaged in round-table discussions, and listened to experiences of experts in the field. During the event, our organization was honored to be joined by several guests including keynote speaker Dr. Sanjhai Ramdeen and GSSA Advisor Dr. Robin Petroze. We are extremely grateful for the opportunity to network, learn, and open our minds to new perspectives in research, global healthcare, and beyond.

UMMS ALL-SAFE

ALL-SAFE (short for African Laparoscopic Learners for Safe Advancement for Ectopic Pregnancy) is a non-profit organization led by Michigan Medicine's Dr. Grace Kim working to develop surgical modules to teach surgeons in resource-limited settings to perform laparoscopic surgery with limited need for physical educators and professional equipment. ALL-SAFE/GSSA partnership has provided members with the opportunity to contribute to ALL-SAFE's mission through volunteering and education. GSSA members have created laparoscopic surgery models for ectopic pregnancy, appendicitis, and more at the Medical School, transformed surgical modules into documents accessible by the United Nations Global Surgery Learning Hub (SurgHub), volunteered with the ALL-SAFE team at the 2024 Youth Summit, and collected used laboratory materials for donation trips to partnering communities.

Think Global, Act Local Event (TGAL)

What does think global, act local mean? Michigan GSSA organized a week of service and donation to mitigate healthcare inequity in our community and learn about how similar health challenges manifest on a global scale. This initiative was made possible through collaboration with pre-health organizations on campus, community partners, and global health organizations including CURIS, Alpha Tau Pi, ALCSI, Global Health Alliance, and ALL-SAFE. The week began with a series of fundraisers, and concluded with a Day of Service and Learning held on January 12th, 2025. Campus-wide attendees rotated around different stations, assisting in appendix model-making with the medical school organization ALL-SAFE, crafting cards and blankets for patients at Michigan Medicine, and painting white ribbons in support of lung cancer awareness.

$500 USD were raised in support of the Pan-African Academy of Christian Surgeons (PAACS), an international organization that trains African physicians as surgeons and related specialists, a strategic response to the need for surgeons, anesthesiologists, and obstetrician/gynecologists in Africa.

If interested in learning more about the mission and work done by PAACS, or the appendicitis surgical model developed by ALL-SAFE, we recommend checking out the following links below!

GSSA 5k For Health Equity 2025

On April 19th, 2025, GSSA hosted a 5k for Health Equity on the University of Michigan North Campus Complex. GSSA raised a total of $1000 to support SAYDetroit, a free family health clinic located in Highland Park, MI. The event would not have been possible without the 42 runners who participated in the race and the volunteers who made it all happen. Thank you to everyone who participated on this amazing Saturday!

Michigan Medicine Workshops and Seminars

With the help of our club advisor and GSSA's continous involvement with Michigan Medicine physicians and research staff, our members have had the opportunity to participate in numerous events hosted by both the Medical School, as well as the Department of Surgery on med campus. Some of this year's events attended by our members and shown to the right include: the 2024 Diversity in Medicine Conference held at Palmer Commons, the 2024 Youth Summit at the Big House, and the 2023 Nth Dimensions Orthopaedic Surgery Workshop. Additionally, two of our committees (Global Outreach & Marketing) have began their own involvements in 2025 with the Department of Surgery, participating in projects such as the following: interviewing and documenting the experiences of surgical residents in The Globe, and creating media to be presented at the CGS's Grand Rounds!

Global Colorectal Surgery Education Initiative

The Global Colorectal Surgery Education Initiative is a non-profit organization with a mission to revolutionize colorectal healthcare in Ghana and other LMICs by bridging the gap in specialized surgical expertise. This initiative has been founded by GSSA's previous club advisor and Michigan Medicine colorectal surgeon, Dr. Gifty Kwakye. Over the summer of 2023, our Marketing Committee worked on the initiative's website development, incorporating elements like the non-profit's projects, goals, research publications, and a number of testimonials from Ghanian resident doctors in training.

Community Service in- and outside of Ann Arbor

In the past year, GSSA's Outreach Committee was responsible for providing a series of volunteer opportunities for members both in- and outside of the university campus. Some of these opportunities ranged from volunteering with other pre-med student organizations (Blueprints for Pangea, Wolverine Support Network, RAPS), Ann Arbor Schools (Pioneer), homeless shelters (Delonis), community organizations in Detroit (Bountiful Pantries, Boys and Girls Club), and hospitals in the metro-Detroit area (Children's Hospital of Michigan).

Because of our commitment to volunteering and making an impact in our local community, GSSA is proud to have received the Community Engagement Award at the School of Public Health Honors Ceremony in April of 2024, as well as in April of 2025. We are extremely proud to have been honored with this recognition twice in a row, and look forward to continuing our community-based work in raising awareness around surgical disparities across the globe.

Gift of Life: Bone Marrow Donor Recruitment Drive

During the Fall ‘25 semester, our chapter partnered with Gift of Life to host a Bone Marrow Donor Recruitment Drive in order to swab students across campus for their eligibility to become a life-saving bone marrow donor. Additionally, money was raised with an accompanying sack race and bake sale across the Michigan central campus diag. Overall, during a total of seven hours of the drive, our volunteers were able to swab a total of approximately 100 individuals to contribute to the battle against blood cancer! Interested in reading about the mission of Gift of Life? Learn more here.

Breathe Deep Together: GSSA x ALCSI Lungevity Banquet

On November 9, 2025, GSSA and ALCSI co-hosted the Breathe Deep Together Lungevity 5k and Banquet at the School of Public Health. This event raised awareness for lung cancer and illness affecting the lungs and respiratory tracts, and concluded with several keynote addresses by Michigan Medicine oncology faculty, lung cancer advocates, and lung cancer survivors.

Primary Contact:

gssaleadership@umich.edu