Global Health Interest Group

Introduction by Bonnie Bissonette, Associate Director for Student Center for Global Education

Office is on 3rd floor of SMC if you are interested in contacting her!

Services and opportunities:

1-on-1 student advising
Logistical support for what you want to do
Holding Global Forums - six times a year, on global health topics (next one on Tuesday, April 23rd)
Developing interprofessional programs (such as the Malawi program)
Helping with 4th year electives

Check out GHLOs - Global Health Learning Opportunities (by AAMC)

Bonnie introducing the lunch talk.

Dr. Neda Frayha, Office of Student Affairs - about the application process

You will be interacting with OSA a LOT as you plan your 4th year, in general.
Currently 2 international electives formally in the student handbook:

Pediatrics Elective (Doris Duke) in Mali (currently on hold due to political unrest)
Elective with Dr. Nelson Goldberg in Department of Plastic Surgery - mission-based trip to do reconstructive surgeries on children (and often adults) - country varies by year (Guatemala often)

4-6 months
Usually for students who are interested in a specific field (surgery, gynecology recently)

Other opportunities:

Often self-designed by student

Working with faculty members met in 3rd year
Working through other medical schools that offer a desired elective

Fill out forms on the OSA Academic Handbook website.

If you are interested in Women's Health, Dr. Jowla is doing stuff in Africa.
You can always extend your international elective by additional subsequent free months.
Remember that you want to be in Baltimore for:

Interview season (November through January)
March - for Match Day (in case you don't match and need to do SOAP)

Sarah Schaffer and Student Panel

Identifying a site for an international rotation

Aparna: I lived in Peru for a year for research between 3rd and 4th year, so I already had my 4th year site identified (Lima's maternity hospital)
Joel and Adam: both interested in Emergency Medicine

We reached out to EM faculty here at UMMC, who referred them to a colleague who set them up in South Africa.
May be hard to find a program that the OSA will give credit for - so find faculty members that can vouch for the program.
Takes around 1 year to identify and plan a 4th year rotation, so start early.

Responsibilities while abroad ("typical day")

Joel: I worked at a primary care clinic, which basically functioned as the local ER in the area - so got a lot of hands on experience (seizures, lines, LPs, etc.)
Adam: A plus for doing an international elective is that you can basically function as a resident, with a lot less red tape than in the US. While I was in Cape Town, I got to do a lot of procedures that residents would have been doing, had he been in the US.
Aparna: I was at a Spanish-speaking high-volume maternity hospital. You have a lot more responsibilities, and often the attending doesn't check your work, so you have to be confident and accurate in your work.

Biggest change you will see is when you are writing out your notes in a different language. If you aren't fluent, you will have a hard time and not appreciate the rotation fully.

Best and worst part of the trip

Joel: The best part was meeting medical students from around the world, also on rotation at your site. No worst part.
Adam: The best part was doing all the procedures on stabbed and shot people in South Africa. There was no worst part, but the financial aspect was a little daunting.

Also was great for the interviews, especially for EM!

Aparna: The best part was learning about healthcare and doctor-patient relationship in another culture and country. This was also the worst part - sometimes, you will see patients getting treated badly because they were poor or because the doctors have a lot of power in that culture.

Definitely looks great for your resume.

Administrative hurdles and other advice

Joel: Programs are often very unorganized. Finding housing was fine.
Aparna: I had free housing by staying with a Hopkins student in Peru. Programs will make you pay to do the elective, so you should definitely ask if housing/transportation is provided.
Adam: In the Mali Doris Duke fellowship, everything was provided. When you have to do find housing yourself, like in South Africa, it can be kind of frustrating - so start a year in advance! Definitely look for places that have provided housing, or that have people you know that you can stay with - these sites can be dangerous!

Don't forget about transportation.
Also, try to see if you can make the elective count for a required rotation.

Finances

Aparna: My mentor paid for everything except food and minor expenses - because I was going back to do research, as well as my rotation.

If you want to go to a tropical country, there is a Trop Med program that may help fund you.
CDC - Kenya

Joel: My overall extra cost was around $4,000 - including flights, housing, tuition at the foreign hospital, etc. It was hard for us to find a research program to fund us.
Adam: Realize this is an expensive process, and be creative.

You need to spend time finding a research mentor and program - this can be hard in 3rd year, when everyone is so busy. But there is definitely funding out there!
Google non-profit organizations/NGOs that may help pay for a portion of your work ("international medical mission")

Time of 4th year for trip

Aparna: February, after interview season and before Match Day
Adam: Avoid November through January. We went from October to mid-November to catch the summer in South Africa, but had to shift my interview schedule.

You must have internet access to schedule your interviews!
The best time is probably spring (February) - because you have free time that you can choose to add on to your rotation.

Other Q&A

Joel: Make sure you bring a mask if there is rampant TB in that country.

The 6th annual conference of Nurses for Global Health will explore the complex nature of worldwide social and health inequity faced by women across the lifespan. The audience will leave with a deeper understanding of gender discrimination endured by women and girls in all aspects of life, and how this damages the community and future generations. We will also explore the impact gender violence has in the Baltimore community, and the positive efforts local women are making to better their lives and families.