title: International neurosurgical volunteerism: a temporal, geographic, and thematic analysis of foundation for international education in neurological surgery volunteer reports.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the experiences of volunteers of the Foundation for International Education in Neurological Surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  A qualitative analysis of >150 volunteer reports from 2004-2013 was performed using grounded theory. Various themes were explored based on their occurrence in the reports.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Volunteer reports of extended trips appeared to peak in 2009, with a heavy emphasis on activity in Africa. Prominent themes in the reports included volunteer contributions, successful strategies, challenges, and future directions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Volunteers demonstrated wide-ranging contributions. Successful strategies included continuity and collaboration with other organizations. Challenges were overwhelmingly related to equipment or infrastructure. Common suggestions for future directions included institutional collaboration and subspecialty development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Electronic address: csedney@hsc.wvu.edu.
authors.forename: Cara L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Sedney
authors.affiliation: Queens University School of Medicine, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Siu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
authors.forename: Gail
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rosseau
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dempsey
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Division of Neurosurgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bernstein
mesh_terms: D005582:Foundations / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007391:International Cooperation; D009493:Neurosurgery / Q000193:education* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014838:Volunteers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
keywords: International; Neurosurgery; Nongovernmental organization; Volunteer