Global Health Fair
Hosted by the University of Minnesota Medical School chapter of the Global Surgery Student Alliance (GSSA)
The Global Surgery Student Alliance is thrilled to announce our inaugural Global Health Fair on November 30, 2023 as an embodiment of our commitment to advancing global surgery and healthcare locally and globally.
1 - The fair will commence with short, insightful presentations from highly respected physicians and researchers, shedding light on the multifaceted nature of global healthcare and research.
2 - This will be followed by an interactive "speed dating" segment, where attendees will rotate through different stations, each led by our esteemed guests, fostering intimate discussions and exploration of health and research, local and abroad.
Through this carefully curated format, we aspire to kindle compassion and intellectual curiosity, and inspire attendees to contribute to a more equitable healthy society, locally and abroad.
THE SPEAKERS
Dr. Todd Tuttle, MD, MS
Breast Surgical Oncology
Dr. Tuttle is the Vice Chair of the University of Minnesota Global Surgery & Disparities Program and the Regis Chair for Breast Cancer Research. He is a practicing surgical oncologist and regularly goes on surgical mission trips to Central and South America. Dr. Tuttle has been heavily involved in capacity building efforts across several low-and-middle-income countries. His research interests primarily include the outcomes from breast cancer treatment domestically and in Central America, surgical outcomes among Native Americans, and outcomes after cytoreductive surgery.
Dr. Jeffrey Chipman, MD,
General Surgery & Critical Care
Dr. Chipman, MD, is a professor and chief in the Division of Critical Care/Acute Care Surgery, Department of Surgery, at the University of Minnesota Medical School. He is also a general surgeon and surgical intensivist. Dr. Chipman’s research interests include mediators of inflammation, sepsis and injury response, surgical infections, and surgical education. His clinical interests include acute care surgery; critical care surgery; general surgery (e.g., gastrointestinal, hernia, splenic, skin and soft tissue, biliary, laparoscopic, and high risk emergency); minimally invasive surgery; surgical critical care; and trauma surgery.
Dr. Rahel Nardos, MD, MCR
OB/Gyn - Female Pelvic Medicine & Reconstructive Surgery
Dr. Nardos is an Associate Professor in the Division of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery (FPMRS) and also the Director of Global Women’s Health within the Center of Global Health and Social Responsibility. Her work focuses to supporting global and local partnerships that elevate the health of women in underserved communities through interdisciplinary and interprofessional collaborations that strengthen health systems through education, research, clinical care and community outreach. Dr. Nardos has helped create the first formal Urogynecology Fellowship program in Ethiopia. She is a recipient of the 2022 Bush Fellowship for her impactful work.
Dr. Brianne Roby, MD, FACS
ENT & Facial Plastic Surgery
Dr. Brianne Barnett Roby is a Pediatric Otolaryngologist. She attended medical school and completed otolaryngology residency at the University of Minnesota. She completed a fellowship in pediatric otolaryngology at the University of Colorado and Children's Hospital of Colorado. Her interests include all aspects of pediatric otolaryngology and facial plastic surgery, including cleft and craniofacial repair and pediatric neck masses. She has been involved in the American Academy of Otolaryngology, American Cleft Palate Association, American Society of Pediatric Otolaryngologists, and served on numerous committees.
Dr. Monica Lupei, MD
Anaesthesiology & Critical Care
During Medical School and Residency in Romania, she came to realize the importance of research for medical progress and had been involved in many research projects during training. Before coming to the United States, she had the chance to work as exchange medical student in Spain and Sweden, and train as resident in Anesthesiology and Intensive Care in France for a few months. The exposure to different cultures early in her training nurtured her decision to move to the United States in 2005 in order to continue working in a multicultural environment.
Dr. Gregory Beilman, MD
General Surgery & Critical Care
A retired colonel in the Army Reserves with five military deployments including Iraq and Afghanistan, Greg Beilman, MD, helped lead the statewide response to the COVID-19 pandemic, serving in an incident command center for our health system while playing a critical role in the conversion of Bethesda Hospital into Minnesota’s first and only dedicated COVID-19 hospital. Beilman also serves as a professor of surgery and an associate dean at the University of Minnesota Medical School and is the leader of the new Translational Center for Resuscitative Trauma Care.
Dr. Hanhan Li, MD
Urology
Dr. Hanhan Li is a urologist and was affiliated with Veterans Affairs Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System-Omaha. She completed a fellowship in Female Urology and Pelvic Reconstruction in Minnesota.
Dr. Kumar Belani, MBBS
Paediatric Anaesthesiology
Dr. Kumar Belani is a professor and the former Division Chief and Medical Director of Pediatric Anesthesiology at the University of Minnesota Department of Anesthesiology. He currently serves as the Associate Director of the Pediatric Anesthesiology Fellowship Program. His clinical interests include Epidermolysis Bullosa. He also runs his own lab, the Belani Lab, which is currently focused on measuring cyanide toxicity, its treatment, and the role of sulfanegen, a new antidote.
Dr. Leah Henke, MD
Obstetrics, Gynecology, & Women's Health
Dr. Leah Henke completed both her medical degree and residency training in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Minnesota. Her clinical interests include global women’s health, advocacy for equitable care, minimally invasive surgery, integrative care and health education. Dr. Henke’s research interests include projects partnering with colleagues in low-income countries, quality improvement and patient experience, and improving access to care and outcomes for immigrant and refugee women.
Dr. Jose Debes, MD, PhD, MS
Gastroenterology
Dr. Debes graduated from medical school at Universidad Nacional de Cordoba in Argentina. Following his graduation he completed a postdoctoral research fellowship and Masters in Science-Molecular Biology at the Mayo Clinic. He later pursued residency in Internal Medicine and Fellowship in Gastroenterology and Hepatology both at the University of Minnesota.
Dr. Debes leads international research networks in three continents conducting research on viral hepatitis and liver cancer with on-site activities in Tanzania, Ethiopia, Netherlands, Brazil, Ecuador and Argentina. Through these networks he has defined the epidemiology of liver cancer in South America and Africa and has exposed biomarkers for early detection of liver cancer. His research activities expand from public health implementation and education on viral hepatitis to molecular biology aspects to define the mechanisms of viral-related liver cancer.
We hope you'll join us for the Global Health Fair!
If you have any questions, please email shett051@umn.edu