243975 Global health fellowship training: A national, cross-disciplinary survey

Monday, October 31, 2011: 2:30 PM

Brett Nelson, MD, MPH, DTM&H , Division of Global Health, MassGeneral Hospital for Children, Boston, MA
Rasa Izadnegahdar, MD , Center for Global Health and Development, Boston University, Boston, MA
Lauren Hall, MD, MSc , Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
Patrick Lee, MD, DTM&H , Global Primary Care Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
     
Background: Medical trainee interest and participation in global health have been growing at unprecedented rates. Studies clearly show increasing opportunities for medical students and residents. However, on the fellowship level, the number and types of training opportunities in various specialties have not previously been characterized.

Purpose: To identify and survey all U.S. global health fellowship programs across medical disciplines.

Methods: Programs were identified though review of academic and institutional websites, peer-reviewed literature, web-based search engines, and epidemiologic snowball sampling. Identified global health fellowship programs were invited through email invitation and follow-up telephone calls to participate in the web-based survey questionnaire. Data were collected between November and December 2010.

Results: Seventy-nine global health fellowship programs were identified: 31 emergency medicine, 15 family medicine, 12 internal medicine, 12 pediatrics, 4 interdisciplinary, 3 surgery, and 2 women's health. Of these, 46 (58.2%) of the programs responded to the survey. Fellowship programs were most commonly between 19-24 months in duration and were nearly equally divided between being integrated versus following residency training. Respondents further detailed trainee selection criteria, fellowship training activities, and graduate career choices. Nearly half of fellowship programs surveyed have been recently established and have yet to graduate fellows.

Conclusions: Institutions across the nation have established a significant, diverse collection of global health fellowship opportunities. A public online database (www.globalhealthfellowships.org), based upon the results of this study, will serve as an ongoing resource of global health fellowships and best practices..

Learning Areas:
Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Clinical medicine applied in public health
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs

Learning Objectives:
1. Identify all U.S. global health fellowship opportunities across medical disciplines. 2. Describe current fellowship programs, including program characteristics, activities, and graduates.

Keywords: International Health, Training

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have led several published studies critically examining global health training among medical trainees (e.g. medical students, residents, and fellows). Some of this work involved an invited oral presentation at the annual Pediatric Academic Societies conference.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: Global health in medical education
See more of: International Health