Division of Global Health Equity

About Us

Mission

Improving access to safe anesthesia care worldwide through education, research and policy

Anesthesia, surgery, and pain management have historically been neglected by the global public health community. In 2006 it was estimated that 11% of the global burden of disease could be treated by surgical intervention with a larger but uncertain proportion of disease burden treatable with pain and palliative care services. Only recently have data become available that demonstrate inadequate access to surgical and anesthesia services is a much larger problem than initially predicted, and one that can no longer be ignored.

The University of California San Francisco has one of the longest experiences in formalized global health education and research in the United States. The Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care has supported numerous global health initiatives for the past 25 years and worked closely to support several longstanding partnerships including Global Partners in Anesthesia and Surgery and Operation Rainbow. These programs have focused on multidisciplinary research, education and policy efforts that aim to improve equitable access to quality surgical, anesthesia and pain services worldwide. In 2015, the Department created the first Division of Global Health Equity in the US and began fundraising to establish a Global Health Endowment to support projects focusing on health equity both domestically and internationally. In 2020, the Anesthesia Division of Global Health Equity merged with multiple similar initiatives across 11 UCSF departments to bring together >250 faculty and trainees to launch the UCSF Center for Health Equity in Surgery and Anesthesia (CHESA). At this time, all of our training opportunities, projects and grants are run through CHESA. 

UCSF, CHESA and the Anesthesia Division of Global Health Equity are committed to supporting anesthesia trainees and faculty both at UCSF and at partnering institutions around the world.

Read more about our work.

Our Team

Our team includes anesthesiologists, surgeons, nurse anesthetists, perioperative nurses, respiratory therapists, intensivists and a wide range of other medical and non-medical disciplines from UCSF and around the world. You can see our team members, leadership, and trainees here. Please contact us with questions or to collaborate [email protected]

UCSF Faculty

Residents & Students

All residents in the Department of Anesthesia have the opportunity to participate in a variety of global health research, education and policy initiatives both internationally as well as domestically.
 

Global Health Curriculum

All residents in the Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care have the opportunity to participate in a variety of global health educational opportunities. All residents in the clinical anesthesia years are required to complete our “Health Equity Curriculum” as part of their core curriculum with the option to participate in a more comprehensive global health equity training pathway (see below). All eligible residents are also given the option to during CA3 year to participate in a global health activity (Operation Rainbow). 
Global Health 101

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Global Health Pathway

For anesthesia residents seeking additional global health training, mentorship and elective time, we offer a dedicated Global Health Pathway as part of the multidisciplinary, campus-wide Global Health Clinical Scholars Program. This pathway requires completion of the Global Health Sciences (GHS) 101 course during CA-1 year and the GHS 211 course during three weeks of non-clinical global health time during the CA-2 year.  Global Health Pathway Residents also receive up to three months during CA-3 year to participate in global health education, research and policy projects both domestically and internationally. 

Applications for the Global Health Resident Pathway are due February 15 during the CA-1 year.  (Application info

To read more about past and ongoing resident global health projects, visit Global Health Fellows and Scholars.

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Clinical Service 

health equity, global surgery, surgical disease burden, public health,Global anesthesia, global health and anesthesia, global anesthesia fellowshipResidents during their CA-3 year are provided an opportunity to accompany UCSF faculty in Central and South America to participate in 1-week clinical service trips. These opportunities take place through a long-term partnership between the Department of Anesthesia & Perioperative Care and the non-profit Operation Rainbow. Residents work closely with attendings to provide preop, intraop and postop care for a wide range of surgical conditions in resource-limited practice settings. In addition to clinical teaching provided during the trip, residents are provided the opportunity to participate in a hands-on, pre-trip curriculum to develop clinical skills and familiarity with cultural and ethical issues relevant to the practice of anesthesia in resource-limited settings.

 

Medical Students

The Anesthesia Division of Global Health Equity is excited to provide opportunities for medical students who are interested in our mission. Minimum project time off campus is generally 8 weeks and students must attempt to secure their own funding (see sources below). Students are encouraged to consider a full yearlong project after MSIII year. Please send inquiries along with your current CV to [email protected]

 

Funding Opportunities

Below are links to the growing number of funding opportunities for trainees interested in global health and anesthesia. 

Internal UCSF Sources:

External Sources:

 

 

Fellowships

The UCSF Department of Anesthesia & Perioperative Care is offering three global health pathways for fellows and visiting scholars:


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UCSF HEAL Anesthesia Fellowship

The UCSF Health, Equity, Action, Leadership (HEAL) Initiative is a unique fellowship opportunity for healthcare providers who are passionate about global health equity and global health delivery both in the US and around the world. 

Through a partnership between the HEAL Initiative and the UCSF Department of Anesthesia's Division of Global Health Equity, this anesthesia global health fellowship pathway offers a unique, advanced training opportunity for US-licensed, board certified (or board eligible) physician anesthesiologists and certified registered nurse anesthetists. Fellows will join a multidisciplinary cohort of more than 70 fellows to work in Native American reservations and the poorest communities around the world.  

Fellows are paired with local health professionals who are already working at our domestic and international partner sites. HEAL Anesthesia fellows develop skills essential for global health delivery through immersive training, a professional development courses/programs, and intensive mentorship.  

To read more about the details of this fellowship please visit the HEAL Initiative Anesthesia Page.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.Applicants are encouraged to apply during their CA-2 year or approximately 12 months prior to the desired start date. Application Information on Fellowships page.

Prerequisites for the HEAL Fellowship include US board certification (or board eligibility at the time of enrollment) in anesthesia and possession or eligibility for a US medical license. For CRNA applicants, an RN license, CRNA license (or eligibility) and credentialing by the NBCRNA (National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists) or eligibility for credentialing are required. 

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Application Information

 

Anesthesia Global Health Equity Fellowship

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The Anesthesia Global Health Equity Fellowship is a non-ACGME fellowship pathway based at UCSF’s Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center. Fellows join a multidisciplinary cohort of 10-20 Center for Health Equity in Surgery and Anesthesia (CHESA) Fellows. Anesthesia Fellows will have clinical appointments at ZSFG/UCSF and be given the opportunity to receive advanced training in trauma, obstetrics and regional anesthesia. Fellows are supported for up to six months per year to work on research, education and policy projects focusing on health equity at ZSFG or international partnering sites. 

Both one and two-year pathways are available. For a two-year option, fellows spend the first year in the Master of Science in Global Health program at the UCSF Institute for Global Health Sciences. Fellows must apply to the master’s program separately. 

As part of the UCSF family, our fellows have opportunities to work with many ongoing global health initiatives at UCSF including the Center for Health Equity in Surgery and Anesthesia (CHESA) and the UCSF Institute for Global Health Sciences.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Applicants are encouraged to apply during their CA-2 year. Application Information on Fellowships page.

Prerequisites for the UCSF Anesthesia Global Health Equity Fellowship pathway at SFGH include ABA board certification (or board eligibility at the time of enrollment) and possession of or eligibility for a California Medical License (2113 licenses may be considered). To find out more about eligibility, applications and additional training opportunities (including those for non-US trainees), please check out the CHESA Fellowships page.

 

Application Information

MedEd Simulation Fellowship

The Global MedEd Simulation Fellowship Program is a 1-year non-ACGME program hosted at UCSF and San Francisco General Hospital (SFGH) and co-sponsored by the World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists (WFSA). This program is available for medical educators from low and middle-income countries (LMICs). The fellowship will be hosted at UCSF’s Kanbar Simulation Center and the SFGH Simulation Center in San Francisco, CA, USA with the ultimate goal of adding an additional fellowship training site in East Africa. Fellows will spend up to 2 months in San Francisco receiving intensive training on simulation methodology, then return to their home institutions to implement simulation projects. The overall goals of the fellowship are to develop expertise in simulation as an educational strategy, to acquire foundational skills to conduct scholarly work in the area of simulation, and to gain the skills necessary to implement simulation-based medical education programs. To accomplish these goals, the fellowship consists of a combination of coursework and experiential learning as well as stipend support for a mentored project in the fellow’s home country.

Application Information 

 

Anesthesia Global Health Visiting Research Scholar

This one-year Visiting Scholar position at UCSF is open to anyone currently enrolled in a health-related graduate program (including residency training) with interest in international or domestic global health equity as pertains to anesthesia, surgery or pain. The position is unpaid and those accepted will be appointed as Visiting Scholars at UCSF in the Department of Anesthesia Division of Global Health Equity. Applicants are encouraged to concurrently pursue a Global Health Masters at UCSF (tuition is the responsibility of the trainee). Domestic health disparities or international.

Application Information

 

For Global Health Equity and HEAL Fellowship information, please contact:
Michael Lipnick, M.D.
Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care
University of California, San Francisco 
San Francisco General Hospital
Box 1371
1001 Potrero Ave, SFGH 5, Room 3C38
San Francisco, CA 94143-1371
Email: [email protected]

For MedEd Simulation fellowship information, please contact:
Maytinee Lilaonitkul, MBBS
Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care
University of California, San Francisco 
San Francisco General Hospital
Box 1371
1001 Potrero Ave, SFGH 5, Room 3C38
San Francisco, CA 94143-1371
Email: [email protected]

Frequently Asked Questions

I am not a US citizen, can I apply?
The UCSF Global Health Equity Fellowship and the HEAL Fellowship accept applications from anesthesia providers who have or are eligible for a California Medical License. Applicants must be able to obtain a CA medical license (2113 licenses may be considered) and a US Visa (e.g. H1b, E3 etc) that allows for clinical practice. The requirements and process will be different depending on your country of origin and training. The WFSA-UCSF Simulation MedEd Fellowship/Visiting Scholarship opportunity does not require a US medical license and is only available to anesthesia providers from low and middle-income countries.

How many Fellows are accepted each year?
The UCSF Anesthesia Global Health Equity Fellowship accepts 1-2 applicants per year. The HEAL Fellowship accepts fellow according to need of partnering sites, with a goal of 2-4 per year. The WFSA-UCSF Simulation MedEd Visiting Scholar/Fellow program supports 1 position per year. 

Are the Fellowships funded?
The UCSF Anesthesia Global Health Equity and HEAL Fellowships are paid fellowships. The WFSA-UCSF Simulation MedEd Visiting Scholar/Fellowship is unpaid, though costs of the fellowship are supported through joint fundraising by the UCSF Anesthesia Division of Global Health Equity and the WFSA.

 

Projects

Research

The Division’s research projects include:

  • Anesthesia, critical care and surgical workforce planning (the Global Anesthesia Workforce Study Group)
  • Critical care, surgical disease and pain epidemiology: we have developed partnerships with NGOs, aid agencies and national societies to help identify solutions that address deficits for a critical care response to disease in resource-constrained settings (e.g. COVID19). 
  • Global anesthesia and critical care capacity assessment tools
  • Pragmatic device development in the UCSF Hypoxia Lab (pulse oximetry and capnography) for low-resource settings and in partnership with the WFSA Scientific Affairs and Equipment Committees
  • Examining disparities in access to surgical and anesthesia care in vulnerable populations in the United States and internationally
  • Respiratory care for resource-constrained settings 
  • Exploring effective strategies for education in resource-constrained settings

For more information and recent publications please visit our faculty and trainee profiles.

Education

Education initiatives have defined much of the Division’s work to date. A large focus of our work with international partners includes:

  • Creating curriculum and content for anesthesia workforce capacity building
  • Developing tools to extend content dissemination in settings with limited Internet
  • Fellowships for anesthesia trainees and faculty from the US and LMICs
  • Developing global health equity curriculum for anesthesia residents
  • Building simulation labs and curricula in low-resource settings in coordination with a fellowship in medical education and simulation for providers from low-income countries.
  • Partnering with the WFSA to support Anaesthesia Tutorial of the Week and SAFE Course implementation

Policy

Policy and advocacy are at the heart of global health equity. Members of our division are active collaborators with the World Federation of Societies of Anesthesiologists (WFSA), the ASA Global Health Outreach Committee, the LifeBox Foundation, and the World health Organization (WHO). Together, we are working to develop informed policy to increase access to safe anesthesia care worldwide, including:

Where we work

Currently the Anesthesia Division of Global Health Equity has active international projects in East Africa (Uganda & Tanzania), Central America (Guatemala), and the Philippines. Additionally, several domestic projects focusing on health equity are active and based at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and with partners in Navajo Nation. More information about our projects and where we work can be found on our partnerships page.

Visit the GHS projects map or Contact Us for more information

News & Events
Resources

The Anesthesia Division of Global Health Equity has worked with many partners around the world to create educational content relevant to providers in diverse practice settings. Please find some of our most recent collaborative projects below:

Make a Donation

The UCSF Anesthesia Division of Global Health Equity is currently fundraising to support  activities in our core project areas including: research, research training, and clinical education capacity building to improve equitable access to surgery and anesthesia.

To make a secure donation online, please click on the "Donate Now" button below:

Donate Now

select “Direct your gift to a specific area,” and choose [Division of Global Health Equity].

For more information, please contact:

Allison White 
Assistant Director, University Development
220 Montgomery Street, 5th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94104
Office Tel: (415) 502-5868
Email: [email protected]

Thank you for supporting Global Health, education, and research at UCSF! 
You may also contact us with any questions at: [email protected]

 

 

Contact Us

For inquiries please contact [email protected]

Global Health News

Doctors from Vietnam watching Hung Nguyen perform ultrasound guided procedure
February 12, 2024

In September 2023, anesthesiologist Nguyen Thi Thu Hang, MD, and perfusionist Nam Do Van, MD traveled from Vietnam National Children’s Hospital (VNCH) in Hanoi to spend six weeks observing the pediatric cardiac care team and learning from UCSF anesthesiologist Hung Nguyen, MD

Tyler Law, MD
January 22, 2024

The UCSF Institute for Global Health Sciences (IGHS) Affiliate Program awarded its 2023 Early Career Global Health Scientist Awards to surgeon Marissa Boeck, MD, MPH, and anesthesiologist Tyler Law

Seema Gandhi, MD
August 04, 2023

In addition to her clinical, teaching and research work as a professor in the Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care, Seema Gandhi, MD, is also the

Aerial view of the free drive-through COVID-19 popup test site operated by United in Health and UCSF partners at Crocker-Amazon park in Excelsior district in San Francisco on Monday, Dec 1, 2020.
August 05, 2022

In the past year, the UCSF Center for Health Equity in Surgery and Anesthesia (CHESA) has grown to more than 100 members from 10 different UCSF departments, while also welcoming new Deputy Director Patti Oroz