Raising the Bar on Trauma Standards in Sri Lanka

Abstract

It is a great honor to write an invited Guest Editorial for the inaugural issue of the Sri Lankan Journal of Trauma. This initiative undertaken through the Sri Lankan National Trauma Secretariat will provide a valuable platform for the entire trauma team to showcase their research and academic efforts. Having recently seen some of the results of trauma patients cared for within the Sri Lankan health care system, it is abundantly clear there is already excellent clinical care being provided to trauma patients at the National Hospital, in collaboration with regional hospitals across Sri Lanka. It is exciting to see the Sri Lankan surgical community take this next step forward toward supporting scholarly efforts and research productivity in surgeons and others interested in elevating the academic and clinical standards of trauma surgery. Establishing trauma as a distinct academic surgical specialty will encourage those currently in training - the next generation of surgeons – to view trauma as a fruitful area of specialty focus; one that is clearly necessary and beneficial to a large number of patients across the country. Perhaps even more importantly, launching a journal synergizes with attempts to develop a comprehensive coordinated national trauma system, which is an essential step toward reducing the burden of injury in any country.