Preparing for a career in global health: The development of an educational track for postgraduate medical trainees

The demand for clinicians who are expert in addressing global health is growing. The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania started a two-year track for postgraduate medical trainees who are planning careers in global health. The goals of our program are: 1) to promote interest in responsible and sustainable international service; 2) to teach fundamental factors of health inequality including economic determinants, policy development and societal injustice; 3) to provide trainees with international experiential learning and practice based on respectful partnership with in-country health leaders; and 4) to provide trainees with a local clinical experience with an underserved population. The track is multi-departmental, incorporating trainees from internal medicine, medicine-pediatrics, emergency medicine and dermatology. We use a multi-pronged approach to address the educational needs of this group, including two six-week blocks of international travel, a local continuity clinical experience, a month-long seminar, scholarly projects, discussion groups/seminars and an on-line curriculum. Trainees are active participants in the development of the program and are key players in the development and enhancement of collaboration with partners abroad. Abroad sites include Botswana, Guatemala, Dominican Republic and Kenya. Local clinical opportunities include community health clinics (e.g. an urban HIV clinic and one for the Philadelphia Latino population), prison health clinics, needle exchange associated clinics, and a health department clinic for patients with sexually transmitted infections and tuberculosis. Curriculum development for medical trainees planning careers in international public health is a growing field and we describe one multi-pronged approach to the development of responsible and skilled clinicians.