PGSSA

Breast cancer is the 2nd leading cause of cancer deaths in women. It is a fatal disease with a 27% chance of survival at advanced stages.

October is internationally recognised as breast cancer awareness month. It is celebrated anually to increase awareness of the disease and to show support for the people affected by it.

Did you know that through prevention and early detection the survival rate for breast cancer can be brought up to 98%?

The best way to detect and prevent breast cancer is to get regularly screened for it. The American College of Radiology recommends annual screening mammograms for all women over 40 years of age, regardless of symptoms or family history.

A mammogram is an x-ray picture of the breast, and is the gold standard for early detection of breast cancer. Sometimes even 3 years before it can be felt!

Knowing breast cancer exists is not enough. Go for a mammogram!

Nearly half the deaths from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) can be attributed to cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Claiming an estimated 18.6 million lives each year, CVD continues to be the world’s deadliest killer, with heart disease and stroke being the leading causes of death globally.
CVDs are a group of disorders related to the heart and the blood vessels, and have remained the number one cause of mortality worldwide for the past 20 years. World Heart Day, created by the World Heart Federation, is celebrated annually on the 29th of September, with the aim of increasing public awareness of cardiovascular diseases, educating the masses on prevention and management, and driving international action to help reduce global disease burden, as well as encourage heart-healthy living across the globe.

On Saturday, 25th of September, PGSSA held its first online webinar, 'A beginner's guide to cardiothoracic surgery: a career counseling session with Dr. Hina Inam.'

The esteemed Dr. Hina Inam answered some frequently asked questions with regards to pursuing a career in cardiothoracic surgery, and dispensed some valuable advice on how to navigate medical school as a CTS aspirant. The attendees were encouraged to use their audios and videos to interact one on one with Dr. Inam, and live questions were taken from the chat box.

We would like to extend our gratitude to the participants for remaining respectful and attentive throughout the session, and to Dr. Hina Inam for joining us for this webinar. Her journey to becoming the first female cardiac surgery resident from AKUH was such an inspiring one, and all the attendees walked out the session feeling inspired and motivated to take on their own!

Registrations for the career counseling webinar with Dr. Hina Inam have now been closed. Welected participants will be emailed shortly.
We are overwhelmed by the response we have received and look forward to conducting similar sessions in the future. Stay tuned to this space for more opportunities!

A beginner’s guide to Cardiothoracic surgery: A career counseling session with Dr. Hina Inam’

Are you planning to pursue cardiothoracic surgery in Pakistan? Do you need further guidance in choosing your residency pathway?

Join us this Saturday in an online career counseling session with Dr. Hina Inam.

Dr. Hina Inam completed her fellowship in Cardiac Surgery in 2019 from AKUH. She has recently been promoted as a Consultant and is the first female cardiac surgery resident from AKUH. She is also the founder of AWSP (Association of Women Surgeons), a society made to support and uplift women in surgery, as well as counter the stereotypes and gender inequality faced by current and aspiring female surgeons.

Sign up using the link below:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1iHzKguyeBMIHN1nB6kkH0SJHKLHESpSX2XMX9-YioF4/edit

Currently a year IV MBBS student at Dow Medical College, Karachi, Eraj Bakhtawar will be serving as the Records and Communications Head at PGSSA. Profoundly appreciative of the cause, she aims to ensure a seamless exchange of ideas and is committed to maintaining excellence within the organisation and beyond. Eraj is particularly fascinated by the fields of orthopaedic and reconstructive surgery, and is a massive adrenaline ju**ie - always ready for a new experience!

On Sunday, 12th of September, the Advocacy Department held an orientation session for the Ambassadors that were recruited earlier this year. The ambassadors were formally inducted into the program and their role in the organisation was described to them.

The Ambassador Program was launched by the Advocacy Department in the beginning of this year with the aim of spreading PGSSA’s network and helping to propagate its mission within Pakistan and beyond.

With a person dying every 30 seconds from a hepatitis related illness, joint efforts for a hepatitis-free future are one of the greatest needs of our time.
Starting today, let's pledge to raise awareness on the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of this viral disease in our circles, because

A great opportunity coming your way
Keep a lookout ...

Join us in welcoming our amazing ambassadors to the team!
We're delighted to have these diligent people onboard with us in our efforts to foster global surgery in Pakistan.

Join us in welcoming our amazing ambassadors to the team!
We're delighted to have these diligent people onboard with us in our efforts to foster global surgery in Pakistan.

We sign off this series with one of the "Muslims who shaped America", Dr. Ayub Khan Ommaya. Internationally known for his significant contributions to areas such as treatment of cancer, hydrocephalus, and traumatic brain injury, Dr. Ommaya continues to leave his mark in the revolutionising studies on brain injury.

From receiving the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1998 to Nishan-i-Imtiaz in 2018, Dr. Adeeb Ul Hasan Rizvi has made major contributions to the quality  and availability of surgical care in Pakistan. Dr. Rizvi, the renowned renal surgeon, urologist and founder of ethical transplant programme in Pakistan, is unanimously praised as one of the best professionals in his field.

We proudly begin our Surgeon's Day Series with Dr. Mumtaz Maher, a bariatric surgeon and teacher of the highest caliber, known for his outstanding work in laparoscopic surgery. Having made significant surgical contributions to the diseases of the digestive tract, pancreas, obstructive jaundice and ulcerative colitis, he stands as an inspiration to many!

Every two minutes, a child succumbs to the threat of malaria as the widespread hazard of this treatable disease takes half the world at large.

This World Malaria Day, PGSSA recognises the endeavours of healthcare workers who have been combating the rise of Malaria across the world as the reason behind the significant progress in the fight against malaria, saving millions of lives.

On the 2nd day of workshop, our talented trainees were imparted training on Design and Marketing. PGSSA appreciates the department heads, trainers and participants alike for their utmost dedication and enthusiasm.

A 2-day workshop was organised by the Advocacy department to equip its members with essential skills pertaining to media and marketing.
With the videography and website management sessions conducted on the 1st day, PGSSA is looking forward to a boost of creativity on its visual platforms!

On account of World Health Day, PGSSA would like to celebrate the efforts of doctors, nurses, researchers and all health care workers who have worked relentlessly to combat COVID-19.
This year, WHO -for its aim to build a fairer and healthier world- has highlighted the countries where health care services are not easily accessible, making these regions more vulnerable to the catastrophic impact of diseases including COVID-19. Therefore, working in synergy with this aim, PGSSA is also striving diligently to make surgical care more sustainable and accessible to the people of Pakistan.

"The glass ceiling is pretty high but Pakistani women are getting there, slowly but surely...An empowered woman needs to empower other women"

We sign off the series with Lieutenant General Nigar Johar Khan, an exemplary woman embodying passion and patriotism.

Here's to all the women, striving in their own little journeys: You got this!

Personifying persistence and belief, Dr. Saulat Sheikh's journey encourages all aspiring surgeons to be consistent in their endeavors.

“When I first started out on this journey, it felt like a distant dream, but now here I am, living my dream every day”

The first in our Women's Day Surgeon Series is Dr. Aneela Darbar, an inspiration for budding neurosurgeons.

"Gender is just something going on in people's heads. Don't let it hamper your progress. In time you will prove it to the world"

“No nation achieves anything unless the women go side by side with men - even to the battlefield”
- Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinah

PGSSA wishes all it's female members and followers a happy women's day!

This weekend, the Research Department conducted a series of sessions involving the application of Statistics in research.

The series started on Friday with a basic overview by Russell Seth Martins. This was followed by an introduction to SPSS by Muskaan Doulat on Saturday and finally ended with a thorough discussion on advanced statistics led by our Research Head.

Catch a sight of some of the shots from the session.

“The pain of an unpublished manuscript is akin to the trauma of bearing an unborn.”
― Anurag Shourie, An Ode Towards Hope –

PGSSA Research Department's 3rd Internal Workshop on “Manuscript Writing” was held on 31st of January 2021. Avinash Nankani and Hareem Rauf facilitated the Workshop.

The session started with a step-by-step approach to writing a manuscript, highlighting the importance of different styles of writing and ended with tips on formatting and submitting an article. Writing a Manuscript is the final stage of a research project, which ultimately allows your work to be discovered and appreciated by others!