Our beginnings…
Global Surgery
5 billion people lack access to safe, affordable surgical and anaesthesia care when needed, with surgery estimated to be responsible for 28% of the global burden of disease.1,2 This is the focus of the field of Global Surgery.
As defined previously, Global Surgery “encompasses surgical care for underserved populations in all countries and for populations affected by conflict, displacement, and disaster, and promotes access to safe, quality care.”3 It should be noted that there are a number of different definitions.
Importantly, Global Surgery incorporates all surgical specialties, as well as many medical and allied health services involved in the care of a surgical patient. Beyond healthcare workers, fields such as public health specialists and policymakers play instrumental roles in addressing the inequity in global surgical access.
InciSion Global
InciSioN, the International Student Surgical Network, is an international non-profit organization for medical and public health students, residents, and young doctors in the field of global surgery.
InciSioN started as an informal group of students in 2014 and grew to become the formally established organization “InciSioN” in March 2016. In 2018, InciSioN became the newest (and first trainee) member organization of the G4 Alliance, joining more than 80 professional global surgery societies, institutions, and NGOs from around the world.
Today, InciSioN represents over 5,000 members in over 80 countries and 45 fully established National Working Groups (NWGs) across all world regions.
Our future…
ASSA Global Surgery X InciSioN Australia
InciSioN Australia, as its name suggests, is the NWG for Australia. Unlike most other NWGs, we are unique in that we operate under the additional banner of the Australian Students’ Surgical Association (ASSA). InciSioN Australia is therefore also known as ASSA Global Surgery.
For most purposes ASSA Global Surgery = InciSioN Australia.
However, it should be recognised that, given our ties with ASSA, InciSioN Australia recruits members from the broader Australasian region.
ASSA Global Surgery/InciSioN Australia was founded in 2019, with passionate individuals across Australia and New Zealand producing an organization of medical students with a common interest in Global Surgery. As noted in the Advocacy section of this website, we are making a significant effort to improve communication and collaboration with LMICs in our region in order to platform important voices within Global Surgery and create a more representative organisation.
InciSioN Australia aims to contribute to the development of future generations of global surgeons, anaesthesiologists, and obstetricians around the world and help bring safe surgical care to everyone, everywhere, by 2030.
Our 2022 Global Surgery Chairs
Samuel Robinson
Monash University
Sarah Goh
Monash University