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MCW Office of Global Health

15th Annual Medical College of Wisconsin Global Health Week | December 1–5

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About Global Health Week 2025

Global Health Week Objectives

  1. Increase visibility of faculty’s global health efforts in community engagement, education, patient care, and research; and
  2. Raise awareness of local and international partnerships that are addressing global health issues from neighborhoods to nations.

All events are co-sponsored by MCW departments, offices and centers. Topic areas intentionally cross all of our missions of clinical care, research, education and community engagement.

Since 2011 the week’s events have hosted over 6,000 participants.

Global Health Week is an opportunity to co-promote the diverse communities our faculty, staff, and partners are serving to advance health. We anticipate that together, we can continue to share credible, collaborative, and mutually beneficial efforts in global health from neighborhoods to nations.

View 2025 Global Health Health Week events (PDF)

All Week (Dec. 1-5)

MCW Global Health Week Winter Clothing Donations

Consider bringing new hats, mittens, gloves and heavy socks to collection bins for local refugee children and Milwaukee’s newcomers.

Locations: HRC Lobby | Office of Global Health, MEB, 3rd Floor, Suite 3165

Coffee and Clementines: Office of Global Health Open House (8 – 10 a.m.)

Meet the team and learn how we can partner with you.

Location: Office of Global Health, MEB, 3rd Floor, Suite 3165

Pre-Week Events

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Wednesday, November 17 | 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.

PhD of Public and Community Health

Ending the HIV Epidemic among Males in the Rural Southern United States: An Analysis of Behavioral Profiles, Causal Pathways, and Implementation Determinants

Andrew M. O’Neil, Candidate for Doctor of Philosophy

Location: Thrive on King, K3950 or watch on Zoom (Meeting ID: 957 9756 3575 / Passcode: GzHC7wmC)

Wednesday, November 19 | 7 – 8 a.m.

Neurosurgery Grand Rounds

Neurosurgery Joint Grand Rounds with Christina Medical College, Vellore India

Christian Medical College Neurotrauma Surgeons and Vascular Neuroscientists

Location: Hub Building, A4115 or watch on Zoom

Holiday Folk Fair International | Friday, November 21 through Sunday, November 23 | 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.

International Institute of Wisconsin

Holiday Folk Fair International

Wisconsin State Fair
State Fair Exposition Center
West Allis

Monday, December 1

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Global Research Poster Session | 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Dr. Elaine Kohler Summer Academy of Global Health Research and Globally Engaged faculty

Global Research Poster Session

Student/faculty pairs present recent global research with local and international collaborators.

Location: MEB, 1st Floor Hallway (outside Kerrigan/Alumni Auditoriums + Hub Cafe)

Economic-related factors and consequences perpetuating cycles of gender-based violence experiences among adolescent girls and women in informal settlements of Kampala, Uganda: A qualitative study
Center for Development Policy
Chidinma Ikonte, Dr. Julia Dickson Gomez

Strengthening surgical data systems: early integration of The WHO operative encounter registry in Ethiopia
Debre Berhan University, Ministry of Health Ethiopia, Peters Specialized Hospital
Dalal Abuaqel, Dr. Christopher Dodgion

Stakeholder Perspectives on Prehospital Care in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: A Qualitative Needs Assessment
Global Partnership for Improving Surgical Systems, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Noor Bhatti, Dr. Katherine Iverson

Patient Attitudes on the Implementation of Teledermatology in Rural Bagamoyo, Tanzania
Ifakara Health Institute, Bagamoyo District Hospital
Connor Linzer, Dr. Kari Wanat

A Pilot: Evaluation of Skin Health and Skin Condition Prevention Curricula Across Secondary School Levels in Bagamoyo, Tanzania
Ifakara Health Institute, Bagamoyo District Hospital
Caroline Narvaez, Dr. Kari Wanat

Use of Art in Medicine: Perspectives of People and Physicians in Padua, Italy
University of Padua, Italy
Gabriella Martinez, Dr. Laura Cassidy

Exploring the Clinical Integration and Institutional Partnerships of Herbal Medicine at Padova University Hospitals
University of Padua, Italy
Melanie Sona, Dr. Laura Cassidy

Exploring the care pathway, rehabilitation needs, and prosthesis access for patients with leprosy, focus on patients requiring amputation: A needs assessment study
Ghana Health Service
Jordan Murphy, Dr. Mary Elizabeth Nelson-Biersach

Using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research to Assess a Planned Intervention for Cervical Cancer Prevention with Female Sex Workers in Uganda
Alliance of Women Advocating for Change, Uganda Harm Reduction Network, The AIDS Support Organization, CRANE Survey
Claire Touray, Dr. Kirsten Beyer

Staying Connected, Staying Healthy: The differential role of social participation on healthcare utilization among older Thai adults by rural and urban residence
Center for Population Sciences
Kaomi Yang, Dr. Aprill Dawson

A Novel Pilot Study to Estimate Prevalence of Peripheral Arterial Disease and Associated Factors Among People with Hypertension and/or Type-2 Diabetes in Three Rural Districts in Rwanda
Health Builders, Rwanda; Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC), Rwanda Ministry of Health
Arthur Kiconco, Dr. Laura Cassidy

Crisis in the Mission Field: Lessons from a Surgical Complication in a Low-Resource Setting
Department of Anesthesiology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Caidon Iwuagwu, Dr. Meredith Cruz

Toward Context-Adaptive Handoff Standardization: Exploring Hospitalists’ Communication Practices in the U.S. and Nepal
Dhulikhel Hospital, Nepal
Dr. Roshan Thapa

The Value of Observerships Abroad: Lessons from UA-MED Supporting Ukrainian Cancer Care during the War
National Cancer Institute, Ukraine; Ministry of Health, Ukraine
Dr. Douglas J. Davis

Improving Muslim women’s uptake of breast, colorectal and cervical cancer screening: findings from a non-randomised study of a peer-led, faith-based intervention
Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, UK; NHS England, Newcastle, UK
Dr. Aasim Padela

Health-related quality of life of children with hemophilia in low-and middle-income countries: A systematic review
Versiti Blood Center
Siqi Zhang, Dr. Constance Shumba

Strengthening Grassroots Civil Society Organizations to Improve Cervical Cancer Prevention Among Female Sex Workers: A Qualitative Examination of Professional Perspectives in Uganda
Alliance of Women Advocating for Change; The Aids Support Organization; Makerere School of Public Health; Uganda Cancer Institute
Alenna Bereroza, Faith Bobholz, Dr. Kirsten Beyer, Dr. Julia Dickson Gomez

The Critical Role of Community Leaders and Language Accessibility in Community Engaged Research
Catholic Charities; UW-Milwaukee
Kate Otu, Claire Ruening, Lynn M. Woehrle, Jamila Kwarteng

Learn more about this program

Tuesday, December 2

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Consortium of Universities for Global Health | 9 – 11 a.m.

Consortium of Universities for Global Health

Institutionalizing Evidence-Informed Decision Making for a Stronger Health System
Ethiopia Ministry of Health
Location: Register for Zoom

Children in War Zones: Addressing their Needs and Pathways for Engagement
UN Agencies, other organizations and countries
Location: Register for Zoom

Center for Bioethics and Medical Humanities Grand Rounds | 12 – 1 p.m.

Center for Bioethics and Medical Humanities Grand Rounds

Music Connects Humanity and Strengthens Resilience

Violin’s for Hope Musicians, Historian

Location: Center for Cancer Discovery, First Floor Lobby

School of Pharmacy | 12 – 1 p.m.

School of Pharmacy

From Arrival to Aisles: Pharmacy Support for Newcomers

Dr. Kajua Lor, Professor and Chair, Pharmacy

Location: Medical Education Building, 2nd Floor, M2050 (Graduate School Classroom) or join Zoom meeting

Afternoon Tea with Dr. Costakos | 3 p.m.

Afternoon Tea

Celebrating 15 years of MCW’s Global Engagement

Dr. Deborah Costakos, Dean, School of Medicine

Format: Email newsletter

Otolaryngology and Communication Sciences Grand Rounds | 5 – 6 p.m.

Otolaryngology and Communication Sciences Grand Rounds

Global Burden of Otolaryngology

Dr. Kenneth Akakpo
Assistant Professor, Otolaryngology
Medical College of Wisconsin

Location: Hub Building, 4th Floor, Rm. 4520

GME Global Health Scholars | 5:30 – 7 p.m.

GME Global Health Scholars, Trainee Global Health Elective Rotators

Ethics of Short-term Global Health Electives

  • Dr. Mac Longo, MCW Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology
  • Dr. Steve Humphrey, MCW Associate Professor of Dermatology

Location: Hub Building, 1st Floor, Dunn Conference Room 1015
RSVP for Dinner: Tiffany Frazer

Wednesday, December 3

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Consortium of Universities for Global Health | 7 – 9 a.m.

Consortium of Universities for Global Health

Universities in Asia Strengthen the Future of Global Health

Leading faculty members from Asian Universities

Location: Register for Zoom

Dermatology Grand Rounds | 7:30 – 8:30 a.m.

Dermatology Grand Rounds

Artificial intelligence-based diagnosis of Kaposi Sarcoma in a Ugandan cohort

Dr. Sarah Coates
Assistant Professor, Pediatric Dermatologist
University California, San Fransico, Benioff Children’s Hospital

Location: Hub Building, 7th Floor, A7520/A7628, or join Zoom meeting (Meeting ID: 994 0798 1013 / Passcode: 86981495)

Consortium of Universities for Global Health | 9 – 11 a.m.

Consortium of Universities for Global Health

Food Security is Health Security

Universities, ministries, and NGOs

Location: Register for Zoom

Department of Medicine, Center for Advancing Population Science (CAPS) | 1 – 3 p.m.

Department of Medicine
Center for Advancing Population Science (CAPS)

Artificial Intelligence in Publishing: From Pencils to Neural Networks Peer Review Guidelines: Best Practices for Authors and Reviewers Publication Ethics for Authors

Dr. Aprill Z. Dawson
Associate Professor, Medicine
CAPS Global Health Pillar Lead
Medical College of Wisconsin

Location: Zoom TBD

Surgery Grand Rounds

Surgery Grand Rounds

Equity in Global Surgery: The Past, the Present, and the Future

Dr. Barnabas Alayande
Co-Chair of the Center for Equity in Global Surgery
University of Global Health Equity, Rwanda

Watch replay

Thursday, December 4

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Consortium of Universities for Global Health | 9 – 11 a.m.

Consortium of Universities for Global Health

Financing Global Health: Cuts in Aid and Future Outlook
Financing Global Health
Location: Register for Zoom

Global Health at a Crossroads: Governance, Geopolitics, and the Path to Sustainable Impact
CUGH institutions and panelists
Location: Register for Zoom

Emergency Medicine Grand Rounds | 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Emergency Medicine Grand Rounds

Fireside Chat with Global Emergency Leaders

  • Dr. Stephen Hargarten, MCW Professor, Emergency Medicine
  • Dr. Ian Martin, MCW Professor and Chair, Emergency Medicine

Location: Hub Building, 1st Floor, Dunn Conference Room 1015 or join Zoom meeting

Consortium of Universities for Global Health | 12:30 – 2:30 p.m.

Consortium of Universities for Global Health

Reducing Gun Violence in the Americas and Caribbean

  • Dr. Laura Vargas, University of Colorado
  • Matt Schroeder, Senior Researcher, Small Arms Survey
  • Dr. Eugenio Weigend, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention, University Michigan

Location: Register for Zoom

Global Health Scholarly Concentration | 1 – 4 p.m.

Global Health Scholarly Concentration

Tribal Nations Healthcare

  • Dr. Brian Jackson, MCW Assistant Professor, Institute for Health and Humanity
  • Former Tribal Chairman Mike Wiggins

Location: HRC, First Floor, Kerrigan Auditorium

MCW African Medlink | 5 – 7 p.m.

MCW African Medlink

Teaching Carbohydrate Counting in Low-Resource Settings or Level 1-level 3 carb counting for Sub Saharan Africa

Dr. Lolia Abibo
Associate Program Director Internal Medicine-Pediatrics Residency Program
Associate Director Medicine Global Health Program, Research Pillar Lead
Pediatrics Global Child Health, Co-Director Global Health Track Pediatrics Residency Program
Assistant Professor, Medicine and Pediatrics
Medical College of Wisconsin

Register Now

Friday, December 5

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Medicine Grand Rounds | 7:30 – 8:30 a.m.

Medicine Grand Rounds

Title TBD

Dr. Peter Drobac
CEO, Crucible
Co-founder University of Global Health Equity
Partners In Health's University
Rwanda

Join Zoom meeting

Pediatrics Grand Rounds | 8 – 9 a.m.

Pediatrics Grand Rounds

Children's Environmental Health in a Changing Climate

Dr. Kirsten Beyer
Assistant Professor, Institute for Health and Humanity
Medical College of Wisconsin

Location: Children’s Hospital Auditorium or join Zoom meeting (Meeting ID: 919 5336 0039 / Passcode: YvhTM4tN)

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Grand Rounds | 12 – 1 p.m.

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Grand Rounds

Україна, UMANA, Anya, Mykola, Me...and the KGB. A "clandestine" mission to build global healthcare capacity in wartime Ukraine.

Dr. Douglas J. Davis
Assistant Professor, Radiology
Medical College of Wisconsin

Join Zoom meeting