From April 23-25, 2025, in collaboration with Dhulikhel Hospital and Kathmandu University, CGS, co-directed by Drs. Deckelbaum and Grushka, successfully delivered its second Trauma and Disaster Team Response (TDTR) course in Nepal -under the grant from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. This three-day training targeted a diverse group of 32 healthcare professionals—including medical officers, paramedics, nurses, residents and interns—with a gender distribution of 65% male and 35% female.
Participants began the course by completing an online lecture series hosted on the United Nations Global Surgery Learning Hub (SurgHub), laying a solid theoretical foundation. The in-person component emphasized practical skill stations, team-based intraprofessional simulations, and interactive exercises essential for trauma care and disaster response.
Post-course surveys reflected significant improvements in core competencies. For example, 25 out of 27 participants reported either “a lot of improvement” or having “mastered” the skills related to trauma care and disaster response. Similar gains were observed across technical skills such as airway management, chest decompression, and spine immobilization, as well as in understanding team roles, transfer protocols, and the value of trauma registries.
Participant feedback also highlighted the effectiveness of the course’s hybrid structure. All participants “agreed” or “strongly agreed” that the balance between online learning, live Q&A, and in-person skill sessions was appropriate (100%), and that the content was relevant to their professional training (100%). Lectures were widely considered accessible and clearly delivered, and 89% felt the instructors were available and responsive. Moreover, participants valued the opportunities to apply learned concepts in practice, and most rated the hands-on components as well-matched to their skill level.
Results from the skills assessment indicated significant improvements among participants. Notably, approximately 93% of respondents reported a lot of improvement or mastery in performing surgical airway techniques. Similarly, spine immobilization skills showed the highest gains, with about 96% of participants indicating substantial improvement or mastery. Splinting skills were also enhanced, with roughly 82% of respondents reporting a lot of improvement or mastery. These figures reflect the course’s effectiveness in advancing practical competencies critical to trauma care and disaster response.
Feedback highlighted strengths including effective instructor engagement, clear explanations, and relevant practical exercises that fostered teamwork. However, participants noted challenges with limited time allocated for hands-on practice and large group sizes. Recommendations included extending skill station duration, conducting exercises in real clinical settings, and adhering to course schedule.
This recent TDTR course, which trained 4 new instructors and 28 new healthcare professionals, further exemplifies CGS’s commitment to strengthening healthcare systems in resource-limited settings—made possible by the generous support of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.