MCW Graduate students are eligible for travel scholarship funding to advance their global health education requirements.

Masters of Science in Global Health Equity
MCW is excited to offer a new Masters of Science in Global Health Equity program beginning in Fall 2020. The MS Global Health Equity program was developed to prepare students to be global health leaders who will learn by engaging with diverse local and global populations. The program provides a mixture of in-person and online courses with a common theme of health equity and an emphasis on community engaged approaches. Students will learn from faculty with extensive and diverse Global Health experiences and will have hands on opportunities to put their knowledge into practice. Applications are now being accepted for this highly interactive program! Visit the program’s website for more details.

Masters of Public Health, "Introduction to Global Health" Course
This is an online elective course in the Master of Public Health program, is recommended for current students and graduate level non-degree seeking students (medical students and residents). Offered annually, this introductory global health course introduces the main concepts of the public health field and the critical links between public health and social and economic development. It introduces key concerns regarding nutrition, reproductive health, infectious diseases, and chronic diseases. The course is global in coverage but with an important focus on the health of the diverse populations in communities across the Unites States.

With the creation of the Medical Spanish Academic Enrichment elective launched in the fall of 2008, over 300 MCW medical students have taken an eight-session course to improve their Medical Spanish vocabulary and grammar. Students participate in four didactic lessons followed by four conversational practice sessions with local Spanish-speaking volunteers. The goal of this elective is to provide Medical Spanish training for MCW medical students and promote awareness of the interface between language, culture, and health outcomes.

Learn About the Medical Spanish Program

Global burdens of disease are local and global in nature and scope The health of the entire U.S. population can be affected by public health threats or events across the globe. Medical literature has illustrated the positive outcomes for student, resident, fellow and faculty involvement in global health opportunities. The Institute of Medicine’s 2003 report on microbial threats stresses that we should enhance global capacity for responding to infectious disease threats like Ebola or Zika and take a lead role in promoting comprehensive global surveillance systems. 

Global Health Benefits

The medical literature has illustrated the positive outcomes for student, resident, fellow and faculty involvement in global health opportunities. This type of experience is a means for physicians-in-training to learn important lessons about health disparities and cultural diversity and encourages a lifelong commitment to the service of vulnerable communities (Acad Medicine, 2010).

• Participation in global health electives is associated with increased likelihood of community service, interest in primary care fields and improved skills in problem solving and clinical examination (Acad Medicine 2003).
   
• Moreover, physicians and other caregivers who have access to the latest knowledge in biomedical science are better equipped to deal with individual health problems as well as public health threats. (Acad Medicine 2010).
   
• Since disease respects neither national boundaries nor government mandates, a better-educated, well-trained cadre of physicians and scientists in a particular country can be more effective in preventing the spread of disease to other parts of the world. (Acad Medicine 2010).

 Global Health Pathway

The Global Health Pathways is one of many MCW Scholarly Pathways that are a required component of curriculum for all First and Second Year students and by application in the M3 year. Pathways allow students to individualize their training while exploring a career path of interest.

Under the administration of Academic Affairs, and guidance of the Scholarly Activities Director, the Global Health Pathway is designed for students interested in understanding the unique healthcare needs of patients, families, and communities both locally and globally, in/from neighborhoods to nations, and the challenges/assets of working in these areas of the world with diverse health care resources.

Core curriculum topics are consistent with those proposed by the Consortium of Universities for Global Health and other medical schools that have long been on the forefront of global health education and research. Pathway activities are coordinated with the office of Global Health.

For more information contact:

Sarah Leinweber
Global Health Pathway Coordinator
sleineweber@mcw.edu

Kirsten Beyer, PhD, MPH, MS
Global Health Pathway Co-Director

Megan L. Schultz, MD, MA
Global Health Pathway Co-Director

GME Scholars in Global Health

We recognize, with palpable resident growing interest in global health, that a broad-based curriculum of global health principles and concepts, regardless of specialty, is timely and important to developing global physicians. With a cohort of dedicated faculty representing over 10 specialties, a cross cutting global health curriculum to advance global health knowledge, skills, and experience is available for all interested residents. This is rooted in ACGME competencies and Consortium of Universities for Global Health Education Competencies.

Curricular components:

• Multi-disciplinary interactive didactics (two hour seminars), view seminar information (PDF).
• Biannual seminars for “deeper dives” for peer to peer learning will occur over a half day (4 hours) and include simulation.
• Emphasis on leadership skills and development in global health will be underlining focus of curriculum including emotional intelligence, resilience, leading from the middle, collaborative problem solving, etc.
• Specialty specific interactive didactics occur twice a year.
• Networking with fellow residents and globally engaged faculty

With a 70% or higher attendance rate, trainees receive a certificate of completion awarded by the Medical College of Wisconsin Office of Global Health.

All interested residents will be accepted into the leadership development program, but they must apply. The GME Scholars in Global Health committee reviews all applicants’ submission and conducts one interview with each trainee to secure their individual training objectives. To apply, complete the online form that will ask for your motivation to participate and an updated resume or curriculum vitae.

Apply now

These are the departmental or division formal training programs with specific educational objectives to advance their specialty for short-term international physicians:

• Bone Marrow Transplantation
• Dermatology
• Diagnostic Radiology
• EMS
• Molecular Genetics
• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Orthopaedic Surgery
• Pathology
• Pediatric Hematology
• Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine
• Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
• Radiation Oncology
• Retinal Imaging
• Trauma and Critical Care Medicine