Global Surgery Tracks in Otolaryngology Residency: Strategizing Frameworks for Sustainable Implementation

Saturday, October 17, 2026

2:30 PM - 3:30 PM PT

Location: West Exhibit Hall A, Learning Zone 7

Moderator(s)

Myra A. Zaheer, BA

Medical Student
George Washington University, School of Medicine & Health Sciences
Washington, District of Columbia, United States

Panelist(s)

JW

Joshua P. Wiedermann, MD, MGSC, FACS

Chair of Pediatric Otolaryngology
Mayo Clinic
Rochester, Minnesota, United States
Gregory J. Basura, MD, PhD

Professor
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
AJ

Ashok A. Jagasia, MD, PhD

Physician
Rush University
Oak Park, Illinois, United States

Program directors and residents lack consensus on critical implementation questions: (1) structuring elective time allocation versus vacation time for international rotations within ACGME duty hour constraints, (2) establishing supervision standards and appropriate scope of practice in resource-limited settings, (3) navigating case logging policies when international rotations lack formal ACGME approval, (4) evaluating educational benefit versus opportunity cost using competency-based frameworks, and (5) developing longitudinal partnerships that prioritize local capacity-building and bidirectional educational exchange rather than episodic service delivery.

Learning Objectives:

Compare and align institutional global health track models with ACGME competency requirements, including integration of the six core competencies, duty hour compliance, supervision standards, and case log integrity policies across programs with varying levels of formal ACGME approval.
Apply an ethical safety framework for international elective rotations encompassing scope of practice appropriate to training level, supervision, risk mitigation strategies, and bidirectional educational benefit that prioritizes LMIC institutional needs and capacity-building.
Design sustainable partnership models with measurable milestones (needs assessment → MOU → longitudinal engagement → shared governance → evaluation metrics) that move programs beyond episodic outreach toward equitable collaborations centered on local ownership.