title: Qualitative analysis of the perspectives of volunteer reconstructive surgeons on participation in task-shifting programs for surgical-capacity building in low-resource countries.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Experts agree that the global burden of untreated surgical disease is disproportionately borne by the world's poorest. This is partly because of a severe shortage of surgical care providers. Several experts have emphasized the need to research solutions for surgical-capacity building in developing countries. Volunteer surgeons already contribute significantly to directly tackling surgical disease burden in developing countries. We qualitatively evaluated their interest in participating in task-shifting programs as a surgical capacity-building strategy.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted semi-structured interviews with surgeons familiar with delivery of surgical care in developing countries through their extensive volunteer experiences. The interviews followed a structured guide that centered on task shifting as a model for surgical capacity-building in developing countries. We analyzed the interview transcripts using established qualitative methods to identify themes relevant to the interest of volunteer surgeons to participate in task-shifting programs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most participants were open to involvement in task-shifting programs as a feasible way for surgical capacity-building in low-resource communities. However, they thought that surgical task shifting would need to be implemented with some important requisites. The most strongly emphasized condition was direct supervision of lower-skilled providers by fully trained surgeons.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a favorable view regarding the involvement of surgeon volunteers in capacity-building efforts. Additionally, volunteer surgeons view task shifting as a feasible way to accomplish surgical capacity building in developing countries-provided that surgical tasks are assigned appropriately, and lower level providers are adequately supervised.
authors.affiliation: Section of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, 2130 Taubman Center, The University of Michigan Health System, 1500 E. Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA. oluseyi@umich.edu
authors.forename: Oluseyi
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Aliu
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Pannucci
authors.forename: Kevin C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Chung
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D057191:Capacity Building / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003906:Developing Countries; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006295:Health Resources / Q000191:economics; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010819:Physician's Role; D011203:Poverty; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000458:organization & administration; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014838:Volunteers / Q000458:organization & administration*