Very early in my professional life, I knew that I wanted to pursue a medical career focused on global humanitarian efforts. Despite my interest, however, the ideal path to achieving that goal was unclear and often independent. During medical school, I pursued self-directed study on cultural competency as no formal electives were available to me. I sought out and participated in an international volunteer surgery trip organized by an independent private hospital and used my own funds and vacation time to participate. Similar experiences characterized my years of training and beyond.

Fortunately, in conjunction with Global Surgical Expedition (GSE), I ultimately had the good fortune of being able to achieve that early vision of creating a career focused on global urology. GSE is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization founded in 2012 with the vision to change lives by expanding access to surgical care worldwide. GSE does this through diverse activities including providing surgeries and surgical infrastructure, research, advocacy, and education.

For some time, global surgery has received far too little attention when considering global health priorities. An estimated 5 billion people lack access to safe and affordable surgical care, and 143 million additional surgeries are needed each year to save lives and prevent disability due to surgical disease.¹ This lack of access to surgical care also has profound effects beyond health, causing significant economic hardship to many people already living in poverty. At the same time, global surgery education is in its infancy and formal training opportunities for those interested in pursuing global surgery careers are limited.

The notable 2015 Lancet Commission on Global Surgery was a remarkable step forward. The Commission’s aim was to improve access to safe and affordable surgery and anesthesia care.¹ Most importantly, the Commission succeeded in placing global surgery as a central priority within the global health community. For many within the global surgery community, and certainly me, this was a long overdue step and a breath of fresh air.

Within the urological community, I have been excited to see the recent progress. This progress includes the increasing number of training programs offering international experiences to residents in response to the significant and growing interest amongst urology trainees.^2-4 Progress is also seen in the addition of a new AUA Annual Meeting abstract category—Global Health/Humanitarian—highlighting the impactful efforts and research focused on global urology.

This progress also includes the notable efforts of the Urology Care Foundation™ (UCF). Efforts include raising awareness about the need to improve urologic care in underserved regions; facilitating programs to highlight the stories of those participating in humanitarian efforts and, in doing so, foster networking and collaboration across urologic humanitarians; and leading important initiatives to fund humanitarian efforts and training through the UCF Humanitarian Grant Program, Student Humanitarian Grant Program, and Health Equity Fellowship.

I was fortunate to receive one of the first UCF/Fox Family Foundation Humanitarian Awards. This award was used to support a volunteer surgical trip to Belize in November 2021 that included 2 surgical teams (urology and urogynecology). A total of 8 members participated in the GSE surgical trip, with each team consisting of a highly dedicated group of surgical, anesthesia, and nursing professionals. Combined, GSE teams performed surgeries to correct vesicovaginal fistula, benign prostatic hyperplasia, urethral stricture disease, pelvic organ prolapse, urinary incontinence, and bladder stones. These teams provided surgical training to local Belizean surgeons and gynecologists in an effort to promote sustainability. Further, over $1,000 in surgical supplies was provided to facilitate safer and more effective surgeries in the future by local surgeons. A urology resident joined these teams as part of the annual GSE scholarship and gained unique insight and learning specific to global surgery.

When I was asked to write an article reflecting on my grant award and what it meant to me, I certainly reflected on this trip. In all, 37 surgeries were provided and 37 lives permanently changed. But I also reflected on my journey to get here and that this grant means something more significant to me. It highlights the increasing and critical focus that is long overdue and is now being placed on global surgery by the urologic community. It signifies a new emphasis on global surgery education and fostering the next generation of global surgery leaders. And it signifies to me optimism for the future. Indeed, a significant portion of the global surgical burden is urologic, and the urologic community is well positioned to help lead within this global effort.⁵ I am thankful to the UCF and the Fox Family Foundation for its support and its significant efforts to promote and prioritize global urology and humanitarian efforts and learning. I am excited to envision the future of global urology.