Charles A. Mkony

TL;DR: In this Policy Forum, the Bellagio Essential Surgery Group, which was formed to advocate for increased access to surgery in Africa, recommends four priority areas for national and international agencies to target in order to address the surgical burden of disease in sub-Saharan Africa.

TL;DR: This introduction to Tanzania's health system and acute workforce shortage familiarizes readers with the context in which health professions education takes place and recommends appropriate action be taken by the government and other stakeholders to provide more financial and human resources for the sector.

TL;DR: Surgical output is low and the workforce is limited in Tanzania, and task-shifting of surgical care to nonphysicians may be a safe and sustainable way to address the global surgical workforce crisis.

TL;DR: A significant proportion of students surveyed still intend to work abroad or in cities after training, and admissions standards that account for years spent in rural areas could promote greater graduate retention in the country of training and in Rural areas.

TL;DR: Simulation is valued to gain experience in practising surgical skills prior to working with patients in resource-limited settings, and an additional benefit is that of learning skills not otherwise obtainable.