Hawassa, Ethiopia Surgical Training Collaborative

About the Collaborative

Hawassa University was selected in December 2017 as the pilot site for the ACS Surgical Training Collaborative, created through a partnership among the American College of Surgeons, the College of Surgeons of East, Central, and Southern Africa (COSECSA), and academic institutions engaged in global surgery. The partnership now works across five integrated pillars: Clinical Care, Education, Research, Quality Improvement, and Resource Mobilization. Following several years of program development and capacity building, the collaborative has started to transition toward sustainable implementation: strengthening the systems, local leadership, data infrastructure, educational structure, clinical capacity, and research processes needed for long-term impact. 

What We Do

The Hawassa Surgical Training Collaborative focuses on five interconnected areas that strengthen surgical systems and support locally led growth. Together, these efforts expand clinical capacity, strengthen education and research, improve quality and safety, and mobilize the resources needed to sustain progress.  

Clinical Care

• Expanding minimally invasive surgery capacity through advanced laparoscopic training, mentorship, and skills development for Hawassa surgeons
• Strengthening thoracic, vascular, oncology, trauma, critical care, plastic, and burn-care services through specialty mentorship and visiting faculty engagement
• Advancing trauma-care capacity through ATLS training, mentorship, and continued clinical skills development 

Education

• Strengthening residency curriculum and academic structure through M&M conferences, journal clubs, and aligning the ACS faculty travel schedule with the Hawassa curriculum
• Expanding ACS-led lectures, simulation, skills training, TEAM activities, and visiting-faculty education
• Building faculty development and local education leadership through the Hawassa Faculty Development Fellowship and the two-day Surgical Education Course. 

Research

• Sustaining research-in-progress sessions and mentorship programs for residents and faculty
• Building resident research capacity through Research Day, seed grants, and presentation opportunities designed to develop and disseminate locally led research
• Increasing access to research funding and conference participation, including ACS H.O.P.E. scholarship opportunities focused on surgical priorities in Ethiopia 

Quality Improvement

• Strengthening and expanding the REDcap surgical registry to support clinical improvement, research, and data-driven decision-making
• Building QI best practices among Hawassa faculty and residents through ongoing training, mentorship, and project development
• Advancing data governance, reporting, analysis, and visualization to support clinical and operational improvement 

Resource Mobilization

• Mobilizing philanthropic, institutional, and in-kind support to strengthen surgical infrastructure and expand access to essential equipment and resources
• Supporting the continued development and equipping of operating rooms, including strategies to maximize Hawassa’s renovated and expanded OR capacity
• Donate to ACS H.O.P.E. and select the designation, "Hawassa Surgical Training Collaborative." 

Key Partners

The Hawassa Collaborative brings together Hawassa University leadership, ACS H.O.P.E., Ethiopian health-system partners, and US academic institutions to support surgical education, clinical care, research, quality improvement, and long-term capacity building.

Hawassa University & HUCSH

Hawassa University College of Medicine and Health Sciences and Hawassa University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital (HUCSH) anchor the partnership. Local faculty, residents, nurses, and institutional leaders set priorities and lead implementation.

American College of Surgeons

The American College of Surgeons Health Outreach Program for Equity in Global Surgery (ACS H.O.P.E.) coordinates volunteer faculty engagement, specialty mentorship, education programming, research support, quality-improvement collaboration, and long-term workplan development. ACS H.O.P.E. also provides some financial support for volunteer travel, Hawassa faculty development, and various scholarships. 

Ethiopian Health Partners

The Ethiopian Ministry of Health and the Surgical Society of Ethiopia have partnered with Hawassa and ACS H.O.P.E. on national surgical priorities, including, but not limited to, ATLS implementation and trauma-care capacity building. 

US Academic Institutions

Many US academic institutions provide time off and travel support for their volunteers.  These FACS volunteers provide longitudinal support in developing specialty services and programming in surgical education, research, quality improvement, and trauma care.