142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

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312339
Filling the Gap: The Need for Increased Awareness and Opportunity in Global Health and Human Rights for Students of the Health Sciences

142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (November 15 - November 19, 2014): http://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual
Monday, November 17, 2014 : 2:30 PM - 2:45 PM

Darian Arman, BS, MD(c) , Tulane University School of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA
Maria Baimas-George, BA, MD(c) , Tulane University School of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA
Sarah Linnemann, BS, MD(c) , Tulane University School of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA
Courtney Rozbitsky, BS, MD(c) , Tulane University School of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA
Daniel G. Bausch, MD, MPH&TM , Department of Tropical Medicine, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA
Audio (mp3) recording Recorded Presentation (mp4)
Introduction: Global health and human rights awareness are of increasing importance to US physicians and students of the health sciences. Unfortunately, most medical and public health schools do not provide significant education or opportunities for involvement in these domains and carving out space in already full curriculums is a challenge. This gap can partially be filled through student clubs.

Methods: Doctors for Global Health (DGH) is a nongovernmental, nonprofit organization promoting health, education, art and other human rights worldwide (www.dghonline.org). In 2007, in the wake of hurricane Katrina, students at the Tulane Health Sciences Center (New Orleans, LA) banded together to form the first DGH chapter at a medical/public health school.

Results: Completely student run (with a faculty advisor), DGH-Tulane serves to engage and educate both students and the local community regarding principles of global health and human rights through activities such as guest speakers from international organizations, journal clubs, film screenings, panel discussions, and organization and promotion of Global Health Week at Tulane. Tulane students have volunteered in New Orleans at community health clinics and attending to the homeless as well as in overseas projects in Mexico and Central America.

Discussion: Chapters such as DGH-Tulane represent an excellent avenue to supplement and enhance opportunities for student awareness and activism in global health and human rights. Using DGH-Tulane as a model, the parent DGH organization hopes to open chapters at other schools of the health sciences to further promote these principles in the US and abroad.

Learning Areas:

Administration, management, leadership
Advocacy for health and health education
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Public health or related education

Learning Objectives:
Describe how global health education and opportunities can be improved in medical education. Explain the roles students can play in engaging others in global health and human rights issues. Define the organizational mission of Doctors for Global Health.

Keyword(s): International Health, Peer Education

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: As one of the leaders of the Tulane Doctors for Global Health Chapter and the primary author of this abstract, I am responsible for its focus and message. Human rights advocacy and global health issues are among my chief interests.
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.

Back to: 3368.0: Global health in medical education