British Association of Paediatric Surgeons International Affairs Committee: A report of international fellowships

Objective This paper describes the fellowship programme of the International Affairs Committee of the British Association of Paediatric Surgeons. Patients and methods The selection of low-income and middle-income country (LMIC) fellows from 2005 to 2016, their funding, experience, and current roles are described. Qualitative and quantitative analysis was performed. Results Thirty-eight trainees from 21 LMIC were awarded fellowships over the 11-year period. Thirty-two have completed the fellowship at time of writing, all are now in consultant positions. Obtaining a visa was the single most cited barrier to starting the fellowship. Twenty completed the questionnaire. Hundred percent felt the fellowship had contributed to personal development and 71% had altered clinical practice subsequent to their experience. Thirty-three percent have gained research opportunities. Conclusion This evaluation supports LMIC-high-income country partnerships and highlights the benefits of fellowships to both the individual surgeon, their department and patient population. Keywords : BAPS, fellowship, low- and middle-income country, partnership