Meet the people behind Global Surgery Lab. We are an interdisciplinary team working to advance equitable surgical care through research, education, and collaboration.
Leadership
Emilie Joos, MD, MSc, FRCSC, FACS
Global Surgery Lab Co-Director
Dr. Joos is a Canadian trauma surgeon and surgical educator whose career spans continents, operating rooms, and simulation labs. Originally from Montréal, she earned her M.D.C.M. at McGill University before completing her general surgery residency at Laval University in Quebec City. She further honed her expertise during a Trauma and Critical Care fellowship at the University of Southern California/LA County Hospital. Never one to stop learning, she then went on to complete an MSc in Global Health Policy at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.
Since 2014, Dr. Joos has been a cornerstone of the trauma surgery team at Vancouver General Hospital, where she combines clinical excellence with a passion for teaching. At UBC, she directs the trauma fellowship program and co-leads both the Global Surgery Lab and the Vital Surgery Training Program. She is also a course director for Advanced Trauma Life Support, Advanced Surgical Skills for Exposure in Trauma, and the Definitive Surgical Trauma Care courses. Dr. Joos’ dedication to global health has taken her on multiple assignments with Médecins Sans Frontières in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Central African Republic. Together with Dr. Joharifard, Dr. Joos co-founded the UBC Global Surgery Lab and co-direct the Vital Surgery Training Program.
Shahrzad Joharifard, MD, BA, MPH
Global Surgery Lab Co-Director
Dr. Joharifard is a Canadian surgeon of Iranian-Australian heritage. She earned an AB in History cum laude from Princeton University, an MD from Duke University, and an MPH from the Harvard School of Public Health. After completing her General Surgery residency at the University of British Columbia, she sub-specialized in Pediatric Surgery at CHU Ste Justine and the Université de Montréal.
Dr. Joharifard’s experience in public health began before her medical career, with two year-long assignments with the International Rescue Committee in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Sierra Leone. During her medical training, she completed rotations in Cameroon, South Africa, Ethiopia, and Rwanda. After residency, she served as the sole surgeon at JJ Dossen Memorial Hospital in a remote corner of southeastern Liberia. These experiences honed her ability to deliver high-quality care in resource-limited and post-conflict environments, while deepening her understanding of the challenges faced by generalist surgeons in remote settings. Dr. Joharifard has practiced as an attending Pediatric Surgeon at BC Children’s Hospital since 2020. She currently spends three months annually in the field with MSF, with six recent assignments in South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Central African Republic. Together with Dr. Joos, Dr. Joharifard co-founded the UBC Global Surgery Lab and co-direct the Vital Surgery Training Program.
Coordinators
Alina Charissa, BSc
Global Surgery Lab Coordinator
Alina is a Master of Food Science student at The University of British Columbia. Alongside her studies, she works as the Administrative and Communications Assistant with the UBC Branch for Global Surgical Care. In her role with the Global Surgery Lab, Alina supports coordination and communications across the team, manage VitalSurg learning resources, and ensures that key resources are organized and up to date. She also contributes to website updates, data analysis, and other tasks that help the Lab run smoothly.
Ally Chia
Global Surgery Lab Coordinator
Ally is a third-year undergraduate student pursuing a B.Sc. in Neuroscience at The University of British Columbia. She is currently completing a Co-op as Communications Lead with the Division of General Surgery. In her role with the Global Surgery Lab, Ally helps coordinate members, manage the VitalSurg learning resources, and support a variety of projects through communications and data analysis. She also assists with other tasks that help the Lab operate efficiently.
Members
As of September 2025, the Global Surgery Lab brings together 83 active members from across the world, including Canada, Brazil, the United States, Uganda, Tanzania, Egypt, Ethiopia, and France. Our members represent a wide range of professions and career stages, reflecting the diversity and collaboration essential to advancing global surgical care:
- Medical students
- Undergraduate students
- Residents
- Staff surgeons
- Physicians
- Graduate students & fellows
- Other
Together, we are building a connected community dedicated to education, research, and advocacy in global surgical care.