Three University of Wisconsin-Madison faculty members recently returned from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia where they served as faculty for the “Current Issues in Medicine and Surgery: Update 2018” course on July 3-4, 2018.

The annual ACCME-accredited course is organized through a partnership between the American College of Surgeons, the Ethiopian Society of OB/GYN, Addis Ababa University’s Tijur Anbessa Specialized Hospital Departments of Surgery and Pediatrics, and Ethio-American Doctors Group, Inc. (EADG).

Dawd Siraj, MD, MPHTM, professor (CHS), Infectious Disease, co-directed the course. He presented clinical updates on contemporary infectious disease challenges. Dr. Siraj's lectures were entitled, “Hepatitis B and C: Implications in pregnancy,” and “Occupational Needle Stick Injuries: Challenge for the healthcare system.”

Additional UW faculty members presenting lectures and moderating sessions included course co-director Girma Tefera, MD, professor, Department of Surgery, and Janis Tupesis, MD, clinical assistant professor, Department of Emergency Medicine.

The trio are all actively involved in research and educational global health collaborations between the University of Wisconsin and various institutions in Ethiopia.

Dr. Siraj serves as vice president and board member of EADG, which is a group of more than 200 healthcare professionals of Ethiopian origin who seek to develop and deliver high quality medical care through education and research for the people of Ethiopia, Africa, and beyond.

Resources:

• Ethio-American Doctors Group

Photo captions: Top, Tijur Anbessa Specialized Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Lower right, UW-Madison faculty members form a "W" for Wisconsin at the workshop. Left to right: Dr. Girma Tefera, Dr. Janis Tupesis, and Dr. Dawd Siraj.

Story contributed by Abigail Mapes, Global Health Pathway Program Coordinator, Division of Infectious Disease