WHO Collaborating Centre for Public Health Education and Training, Imperial College London

Scalpel Skills Are Stalling—Why We Must Reinvent Early Surgical Training Author: Kenneth Walker, Adarsh Shah Reviewer: David Laith Rawaf, MD Link to paper:  https://lnkd.in/dwKFUauJ Theme: General Surgery The operating room is no place for trial and error, yet junior surgeons are facing a training crisis. A detailed review of early-years surgical training highlights a troubling reality: hands-on experience is dwindling due to work-hour restrictions, patient safety concerns, and a shift towards competency-based models. The result? Many trainees enter higher surgical training with significant gaps in their technical abilities, or face not being able to enter at all! Findings of the Paper: • Declining Hands-on Experience – Reduced operative exposure in early training years means junior doctors are struggling to build core technical skills. • #Simulation as a Solution – The study underscores the value of simulation-based training, from virtual reality (VR) to physical models, in building proficiency before live surgery. • Gaps in Curricula – Despite strong evidence supporting simulation, many training programs lack a structured, mandatory approach to integrating it into early surgical education. • Assessment Discrepancies – Current assessment tools fail to reliably measure skill acquisition, leading to inconsistencies in surgical readiness. Key Recommendations: • Mandatory Simulation Training – Structured, progressive simulation training should be embedded in all surgical curricula to ensure skill development before patient interaction. • Standardised Skill Assessments – Competency must be evaluated using validated metrics, ensuring trainees meet technical benchmarks before progressing. • Increased Access to Training Tools – Wider adoption of affordable, portable simulators is critical to ensuring all trainees get sufficient exposure, regardless of hospital resources. • Mentorship and Feedback – Regular coaching and structured feedback loops will help trainees refine techniques faster. The Takeaway: The paper makes a strong case for rethinking surgical education. Early exposure to technical skills through structured simulation is not just an enhancement - it’s a necessity. The future of surgical excellence depends on embracing these changes now. #SurgicalTraining #FutureOfSurgery #ImprovingSurgicalTraining Elliot Street, Ross Davies, Glenn Cooper FCIPS, Ben Quinton, Helen Hanson

Dr. David Laith Rawaf, MD is transforming the future of surgical training and healthcare through groundbreaking AI-powered solutions. From leading clinical strategy at Inovus Medical to driving surgical innovations at VitVio, his journey is a testament to blending medicine and technology.✨ #AIinHealthcare #SurgicalInnovation #Trailblazer #MedTech #FutureOfSurgery #DavidLaithRawaf #uaestories #inspiring #featured #magazine #dubai VitVio, The American University in the Emirates (AUE) , Click here for more info: https://lnkd.in/eqkeQCpn

📢 Exciting Announcement! We are thrilled to launch the WhatsApp Channel for the WHO Collaborating Centre for Public Health Education and Training! 📲🎉 This channel is open to everyone passionate about public health—researchers, practitioners, #policymakers, #students, and advocates. Stay up to date with: - Cutting-edge #research & #publications - Upcoming #training programmes & opportunities - Key public health updates & #awareness campaigns We are trying to reach more people with evidence-based public health information and opportunities. Join us and be part of a global community committed to strengthening public health! 🌎✨ Share it with all your colleagues and friends! You might also be featured on our channel. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/ejQ-5jgj Celine Tabche, FHEA, MSc, ANtr #PublicHealth #GlobalHealth #WHOCC #HealthEducation #Training #Research #WhatsApp

March 20 is celebrated as the #InternationalDayofHappiness, with 193 United Nations member states adopting a resolution to prioritise happiness. And for this year the theme is #Caring & #Sharing! 😁 Dr Sunil Kumar MBBS MRCA FCAI FRSA FBSLM DipIBLM shared his thoughts with us on this day: This year’s theme highlights the critical role of #benevolence, empathy, and trust in fostering well-being. The World Happiness Report 2025, published today, reinforces how these social virtues contribute not just to individual fulfilment but also to the happiness and resilience of entire nations. Happiness is often thought of as a personal goal, but research consistently shows that acts of kindness and generosity enhance the well-being of both the giver and the recipient. Whether it is helping a stranger, volunteering, or donating, benevolent actions release ‘feel-good’ hormones, reduce stress, and strengthen social bonds. The #WorldHappinessReport 2025 highlights a sustained increase in benevolent behaviours globally, which first surged during the COVID-19 pandemic. Encouragingly, this ‘#benevolence bump’ has endured, with prosocial acts remaining 10% higher than pre-pandemic levels. This shows that kindness is now a vital part of daily life, highlighting that small acts of goodwill can drive lasting societal change. #Empathy is a fundamental component of human connection. Research indicates that individuals with high levels of empathy report greater life satisfaction, lower stress, and stronger relationships. In times of crisis or uncertainty, it acts as a social glue, promoting cohesion and resilience within communities. Trust—both in individuals and institutions—is one of the strongest predictors of national happiness. Countries with high levels of social #trust tend to experience lower stress, stronger economies, and greater civic engagement. For the 8th consecutive year, #Finland has been ranked the happiest country in the world, a status largely attributed to its high levels of trust, social support, and #equality. When people feel safe, valued, and connected, they experience greater overall well-being. In contrast, societies where trust is eroding often struggle with increased #anxiety, social fragmentation, and #political division. The #WorldHappinessReport2025 highlights that happiness is not just about economic prosperity but also about the strength of human relationships. Governments, organisations, and communities must prioritise social cohesion, ensuring that people feel supported, included, and empowered. Whether through mental health initiatives, community-building programmes, or educational efforts focused on #emotionalintelligence, investing in social capital is essential for a happier, healthier society. Check out the resources for this day here: https://lnkd.in/dbPXWvJ #LifestyleMedicine World Health Organization Heini Utunen, PhD

Today is World Sleep Day, let's prioritise sleep health for better well-being and productivity. 🌙✨ Listen in to our interview with Professor Guy Leschziner a leading neurologist and sleep specialist, as we explore sleep's connection to brain health, the role of the glymphatic system in clearing waste, and the impact of sleep disruption on dementia and cardiovascular disease. Moreover, we’ll tackle some of the biggest misconceptions around sleep and speak about interesting conditions you may not have heard of. https://lnkd.in/e9MH3-4K Read more about it in our article below with some recent references! #WorldSleepDay #SleepHealth #Wellbeing #dementia #Sleep #LifestyleMedicine #PreventionMedicine Article and Interview by: Emmanuel Urama NHS England NHS NHS Professionals EMR Emergencies Health Workforce initiative King's College London World Health Organization

Today is World Sleep Day, let's prioritise sleep health for better well-being and productivity. 🌙✨ Listen in to our interview with Professor Guy Leschziner a leading neurologist and sleep specialist, as we explore sleep's connection to brain health, the role of the glymphatic system in clearing waste, and the impact of sleep disruption on dementia and cardiovascular disease. Moreover, we’ll tackle some of the biggest misconceptions around sleep and speak about interesting conditions you may not have heard of. https://lnkd.in/e9MH3-4K Read more about it in our article below with some recent references! #WorldSleepDay #SleepHealth #Wellbeing #dementia #Sleep #LifestyleMedicine #PreventionMedicine Article and Interview by: Emmanuel Urama NHS England NHS NHS Professionals EMR Emergencies Health Workforce initiative King's College London World Health Organization

Thanks to Celine Tabche, FHEA, MSc, ANtr, Prof Salman Rawaf and the WHO Collaborating Centre for Public Health Education and Training, Imperial College London for making me so welcome as I gave the 2025 Lady Amalia Fleming Lecture on Wednesday as part of #womenatimperialweek at Imperial College London! It was a privilege to highlight the work of The Diabesties Foundation, Sweet Life Diabetes Community, Kyler Cares Foundation, mySugr, Diabetes Cockpit App, Tidepool, 9amHealth, and Syntactiq, and to share what I’m building with SmartStart Health. #ForAllWomenAndGirls #empoweredwomenempowerwomen #youcantbewhatyoucantsee #genderequity #genderequality #digitalrevolution #wearenotwaiting #IWD #IWD25 #publichealthtraining #publichealtheducation #patientcentredcare #medtech #diabetes #healthtech #continuousglucosemonitoring #healthresearch #healthinnovation #startup #womanentrepreneur #womenCEO #womeninstem #womeninstemm

📢 Exciting News from ResearchConnectX! 🚀 We’re thrilled to announce that the RCX Research Excellence Team has now been finalised! We received an overwhelming number of outstanding applications—the talent and passion on display were truly impressive. After careful consideration by our team, the successful interns have been selected and contacted. A huge thank you to everyone who applied and for the incredible level of interest we received—it exceeded all expectations! 🙌 For those who weren’t successful this time, please know that this is just the beginning. We’ll be in touch as new opportunities arise and as our team continues to grow. Exciting things are on the horizon, and we can’t wait to share them with you all soon! 🌟 Miriam Khalil Ali W. Khalid Ameer Khamise David Laith Rawaf, MD Dr. SUHAIB JS. AHMAD. MBChB, MD, MSc, MRCS, FRSA Lloyd Thomas #ResearchConnectX #RCX #ExcitingNews #ResearchExcellence

Our Next Strategic Leadership #BrownBag Session: Mobile Health Solutions for Crisis Response Join us on Monday, 17 March 2025 at 11 AM UK time for a critical discussion on "Mobile Solutions for Health Care Delivery in Distressed Communities: Innovating for Emergency Response." Featuring: Professor Salmaan Keshavjee a recognised global leader in health strategy and emergency response. ▪️ Professor of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School ▪️ Director, Harvard Center for Global Health Delivery Affiliate ▪️ Professor, Harvard University Department of Anthropology ▪️ Physician, Division of Global Health Equity, Brigham and Women's Hospital Key Question: How can we leverage mobile health to build resilient healthcare systems in the face of escalating emergencies? 📅 Date: Monday, 17 March 2025 ⏲️ Time: 13:00 Cairo time 🔗 Link to Teams: https://lnkd.in/gvViX43A Looking forward to seeing you there! #BrownBagSession #MobileHealth #CrisisResponse #GlobalHealth #HealthcareInnovation #EmergencyResponse #Leadership #HealthcareDelivery #ResilientSystems #PublicHealth #HealthStrategy #HarvardHealth #CommunityHealth Celine Tabche, FHEA, MSc, ANtr Dr. Samar Al-Mutawakel EMR Emergencies Health Workforce initiative