Dr. Dan Deckelbaum is a Professor of Surgery and Critical Care Medicine at McGill University and a leading figure in global surgery and trauma systems strengthening. Trained in general surgery, trauma surgery, and critical care with a Master of Public Health, he has built an internationally recognized career dedicated to improving access to safe surgical and trauma care in low and middle-income countries. As the founder and Co-Director of the Centre for Global Surgery at the McGill University Health Centre, he has led capacity-building initiatives across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America, focusing on sustainable training and disaster preparedness. His work bridges clinical care, academic research, humanitarian response, and health systems development to address injury and surgical disease as major global health priorities, while remaining grounded in the lived experiences of patients and communities affected by trauma and crisis.

Dan’s global health contributions span frontline disaster response, education, and policy- relevant work. He has deployed clinically in major humanitarian crises, including the Haiti and Nepal earthquakes and mass casualty events in East Africa, and has led the development and international implementation of the Trauma and Disaster Team Response Course to train local providers in scalable, context-appropriate care. Raised in Israel, he has also demonstrated a longstanding dedication to Israel and the region through academic collaborations, invited lectures, and engagement with global surgery and disaster preparedness initiatives. Throughout this work, he has maintained a steadfast focus on the human impact of trauma and disaster—ensuring that system-level solutions never lose sight of the individual patient, family, and provider. He has served as head team physician for the Montreal Canadiens, bringing expertise in trauma and critical care to elite sport. Through all this work, Dan advocates for access to quality healthcare regardless of background.