E175 - Global Surgery and the Power of Purpose with Mark Shrime

Cold Steel: Canadian Journal of Surgery Podcast

The only thing that can save us from our irascibly self-centered existence is to make sure that our existence is in the service of others

Mark Shrime, ENT surgeon, global surgery researcher and now career coach is our guest on this episode. The quote I read was from his wonderful book, “Solving for Why: A Surgeon’s Journey to Discover the Transformative Power of Purpose”. It’s important to understand just how much of a fascinating person Mark Shrime is to get a context for this conversation. Dr. Shrime was the International Chief Medical Officer at Mercy Ships, an international NGO that operates hospital ships. Mark is also one of the major figures in the global surgery space, and was part of the 2015 Lancet Commission on Global Surgery. If that were not enough, he is also an American Ninja Warrior! We explored why Mark felt the need to write a book on purpose as well as his insights on global surgery, amongst many other topics. This was such an important conversation not just for surgeons but for anyone trying discover meaning and purpose in their life.

Links:

1. https://www.markshrime.com/
2. https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/dr-mark-shrime/solving-for-why/9781538734162/?lens=twelve
3. https://www.thelancet.com/commissions/global-surgery
4. Shrime MG, Alkire BC, Grimes C, Chao TE, Poenaru D, Verguet S. Cost-Effectiveness in Global Surgery: Pearls, Pitfalls, and a Checklist. World J Surg. 2017 Jun;41(6):1401-1413. doi: 10.1007/s00268-017-3875-0. PMID: 28105528.
5. Smith ER, Kapoor P, Concepcion T, Ramirez T, Mohamed M, Dahir S, Cotache-Condor C, Adan Ismail E, Rice HE, Shrime MG. Does reducing out-of-pocket costs for children's surgical care protect families from poverty in Somaliland? A cross-sectional, national, economic evaluation modelling study. BMJ Open. 2023 May 2;13(5):e069572. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-069572. PMID: 37130683; PMCID: PMC10163539