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| The global health elective gives students an idea of what to expect when working overseas. |
Students with an interest in global health no longer have to wait until their plane lands in a foreign country before getting a sense of what it鈥檚 all about.聽Dalhousie鈥檚 International Health Office offers a course in global health that teaches students about health systems and the determinants of health with an emphasis on the impact to under-resourced regions.聽
The course, to be offered in January, prepares students for what to expect before they head overseas on their global health training.聽(Interested聽students need to register聽by聽Dec. 13.)聽
The global health elective was launched in 2006 after students who had participated in programs organized by the International Health Office suggested that a prep course would have enhanced their overall experience. Since then, feedback from students聽has helped to聽guide the curriculum preparation for the upcoming year.聽
鈥淪tudents felt that having basic knowledge of international development and some of the health challenges in under-resourced regions would be an asset while abroad,鈥� says Shawna O鈥橦earn, the International Health Office director and course instructor. 鈥淭he global health course is intended to provide a foundation and background for students鈥� overseas experiences, with the hope that this knowledge facilitates a greater understanding of the issues faced by many people in the developing world.鈥澛�
The elective was created for students in medicine, dentistry, and health professions, though students in arts, community health and epidemiology, and business have also participated. A new course is being developed for faculty who are interested in global health.聽One of the key elements of the course is to consider the inter-professional dimension of health in under-resourced regions.聽
鈥淭his is the first time I have truly been involved in inter-professional learning,鈥� said one student. 鈥淭his course is the best way I know to have different professions come together to work as a unit, discuss their roles, and share experiences.鈥澛�
鈥淭he global health elective covers aspects of health not covered within the formal curriculum,鈥� says O鈥橦earn. 鈥淎nd because it鈥檚 open to students and faculty across faculties and disciplines, we鈥檙e not only preparing people for their work in developing countries, but also educating them on how to be part of effective, interprofessional teams.鈥澛犅犅�
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