Section 2: Trip Preparation
The Center for Global Health thanks Ashti Doobay-Persaud, MD from the Section of Global Health in the Division of Hospital Medicine for compiling the information in this curriculum. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Dr. Doobay-Persaud.
There are site specific details for all trips that should be accessible from the host organizations. Travel, food, accommodation and health needs should all be explained prior to departure. You should ensure your personal safety and contact organizations ahead of time if you have any pre-existing medical conditions. Learning the local culture, language and health infrastructure is highly recommended and is considered a requirement in some programs. The first 2 modules address the practicalities of planning a trip.
There are many organizations that exist under the auspices of global health delivery. The previous and subsequent modules present the best practices and the harmful (unintended) consequences of the worst practices. Unite for Sight (where many of these modules have been obtained) has developed a framework that can be used to evaluate global health volunteer organizations.
The GHEC modules are geared towards students, however they are applicable for faculty and recommended reading for any volunteer.
For more information on the country you are visiting:
- WHO interactive map re: yellow fever, rabies, malaria by country
- Use the CDC site to look up current information on safety, travel and health recommendations including vaccinations.
- MODULE 1: Planning for a Global Health “Rotation”
This lecture is practical for trip preparation and emphasizes the need for a curriculum (which you are in the process of completing) and also addresses cultural competency topics. It is designed to be read a year prior to planning your trip. - MODULE 2: How to Fund, Plan and Fund Your Global Health Opportunity
This lecture also provides practical information but focuses more on choosing an effective organization. This module provides a guide to identifying your individual skills and objectives in the context of global health. - MODULE 3: Resources for Volunteering at a District Hospital
This lecture focuses on the skill sets and resources needed to effectively participate in a local clinic or hospital. The way it is organized is useful when determining what texts or resources are needed for global health volunteers. - MODULE 4: Emergency Medicine (EM) in a resource-limited setting
This lecture is as close to a generalized outline of daily life practicing in a resource-limited setting without getting region-specific. It provides an overview of challenges you are likely to face. - MODULE 5: Evaluating an Opportunity
This is a tool to guide you toward critically appraising an opportunity
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This page last updated Feb 17, 2012