The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #50206

Lois McCloskey, DrPHMPH¹, Eugene R Declercq, PhD², Ken James, MBBS, MPH³, and Donald Thea, MD MSc³. (1) Department of Maternal and Child Health, Boston University, 715 Albany Street Ste. 527W, Boston, MA 02118, 617 638-5882, loism@bu.edu, (2) Maternal and Child Health Department, Boston University School of Public Health, 715 Albany St., Boston, MA 02118, (3) Department of International Health, Boston University, 715 Albany Street Ste. 527W, Boston, MA 02118

Globalization in the 21st century requires us to move our educational models beyond the boundaries of the traditional constructs of “international” (largely referring to developing countries) and “domestic” (referring to the U.S.) health and examine issues from a broader, comparative perspective. There is evidence of demand among MPH students, both from the U.S. and abroad, for a curriculum that prepares them for practice in the international community and which places U.S. maternal and child health in this broader context. This paper examines the development of a new global maternal and child health (MCH) curriculum at the Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) and seeks to share the experience with other schools of public health contemplating such a change. The proposed program will require the completion of 24 credits of courses (in an overall 48 credit MPH program) based on the five 4 credit courses: Global MCH (new course); Needs Assessment; Managing Health Programs; Research in MCH; Seminar in Global MCH (new course); and 4 credits of electives. Lessons for other schools include: (1) Heavy demand may interfere with gradual startup; (2) The program must not be simply cobbled together from existing courses. (3) Institutional buy-in is crucial throughout the process. (4) The transition may include a competition between new and existing course recruitment and success. 5) The intellectual challenges are substantive, given the dearth of MCH literature that addresses key issues within a global and comparative framework. 6) Students must be educated globally and prepared to work locally.

Learning Objectives:

• To describe the rationale for and process of developing a global MCH education program.
• To examine the lessons learned and challenges encountered in the addition of a global MCH program within an existing MCH Department.

Keywords: Global Education, International MCH

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Boston University School of Public Health
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.