University of Washington Department of Global Health

Across Campus

School of Medicine / UWMC

Admissions

UW School of Medicine, Students in all of UW Medicine's education programs benefit from faculty members who are dedicated teachers and mentors to the next generation of biomedical scientists, physicians, and allied health personnel. Excellent teaching is offered to medical students, graduate students in the basic sciences, students in allied health professional programs, residents training in hospitals or clinics, and professionals seeking continuing medical education. Students train under some of the nation's top clinicians, educators, and researchers.

Student Interest Group

International Health Group (IHG), The International Health Group (IHG) promotes long-term careers in the service of disadvantaged populations worldwide. They aim to accomplish this through educational activities and through the development of international research and clinical opportunities.

Academic Pathway

Global Health Pathway, IHG has developed a Global Health Pathway (GHP) with UWSOM to: Prepare medical students for work in underserved communities; increase medical students' cultural competence; encourage research on global health issues; raise awareness of ethical issues related to global health; and introduce students to the challenges of practicing in resource poor settings. The Global Health Pathway will provide medical students with the information and experiences necessary to practice in underserved communities both here and abroad. Courses are available in UCONJ 501:International Health, Med 560: Advanced Topics in Global Health, Med 561:Tropical Medicine in addition to other courses offered in global health available through the Health Sciences schools.

Medical Student Opportunities and Funding Sources

International Health Electives, This opportunity is available to fourth-year medical students for clerkships in Ghana, Cameroon, India, Rural Australia, Peru and the Marshall Islands. Participants will be selected based on the following criteria: a strong commitment to pursuing a career in international health; a desire to provide health services to underserved populations worldwide; demonstrated ability to work independently; prior cross-cultural experiences, whether in the U. S. or overseas; prior international health experiences; and fluency in Spanish for Peru.

International Health Opportunities Program, For students between the first and second year of medical school, the International Health Opportunities Program (IHOP) was developed to provide early international and public health exposure as well as fulfillment of the students' III requirement. Participants will be required to spend 10-12 weeks working at their IHOP sites. IHOP participants will be required to provide a site description and evaluation upon completion of their 10-week placement.

The Medical Student Research Training Program (MSRTP), provides approximately 30 funded opportunities for students at the School of Medicine and WWAMI sites to participate in a full-time, 10-week summer research project between their first and second years under the supervision of a faculty mentor. Projects may fall into one of the following categories: laboratory based research, clinical and health services, and MSRTP/RUOP or international health.

University of Washington

Amauta Public Health Practica, Funding is available to support students interested in traveling to Peru or other Andean countries to carry out a practicum project at their Peruvian partner institutions and affiliated NGO's. The goal of the practicum is to provide students the opportunity to use knowledge and skills acquired in the academic program in a Peruvian institution, under the direction of a site supervisor overseas. Contact Alicia Silva-Santisteban for more information.

Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowships (FLAS), FLAS fellowships provide tuition and health insurance plus a stipend (currently $14,000; $2,400 for summer) for the study of eligible modern foreign languages.

Global Partnerships Travel Grants, The program funds 3-6 students per year to work for up to three months overseas under the supervision of UW faculty and faculty/staff of linked institutions in several countries. UW students, foreign or domestic, could be at a Master's or PhD level.

International Experience in Occupational And Environmental Health, The goal of this program is to provide students of the University of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicine with opportunities to become directly involved in identifying, characterizing and addressing occupational and environmental global health issues. A secondary goal is to increase faculty involvement in global health issues. Students will travel to Vietnam, Nicaragua or Costa Rica. Contact Kathlene Mirgon for more information.

International Programs & Exchanges, The IPE administers and coordinates more than 100 international programs and exchanges in Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Students are concurrently enrolled at the University of Washington while abroad, earning UW credit and maintaining residency and financial aid eligibility. IPE maintains an extensive resource library and offers information and resources to students, parents, faculty and staff. Check out the programs through IE3 global internships and Child Family Health International.

Leslianne Shedd Fund , The purpose of this fund is to provide financial assistance to students who will serve as unpaid interns in organizations that are engaged in some aspect of international affairs particularly those interested in the international public health field. Contact Betsy Bridwell for more information.

Multidisciplinary International Research Training (MIRT) Program, The Multidisciplinary International Research Training Program is a national program designed to encourage underrepresented students to pursue careers in biomedical and behavioral sciences research. The program provides support for undergraduates, graduates, and faculty for health-related population-based research and training in developing countries.

Additional Resources for Medical Student Opportunities and Funding

AMSA International Health Opportunities Database, Lists a wide array of opportunities including job opportunities for dental, medical, nursing, public health and pre-med students.

Beyond UW, UWSOM International Health Group has put together an extensive list of Non-UW affiliated opportunities and funding sources.

Global Health Education Committee Resource List, Click on their Resource section to access information for faculty and students including their extensive "Annotated List of International Health Related Websites"

IHG Sources of Funding for Medical Students, List is intended to be a source for "one-stop shopping" for anyone interested in finding funding for an international clerkship or research project as a medical student. We have tried to compile every source of applicable funding we could find, although doubtless there are some we have overlooked. If you come across any other sources of funding that are not included below, please contact us and we will add it to the list.

Information for Medical Residents

Humanitarian Options in Medicine (HOM), HOM is a website designed to provide University of Washington medicine residents and faculty with information on available sites in underserved areas nationally and internationally thus encouraging participation in humanitarian medical services. International Sites.

The Yale/Johnson & Johnson Physician Scholars in International Health, will annually select up to 10 physician-in-training scholars from institutions outside of Yale during their residency and 5 career physician scholars for 4 to 8 week rotations in overseas sites. Rotations are largely directed at clinical experiences, service and teaching, as opposed to research. Based upon site assignment, Yale/Johnson & Johnson physician scholars will receive upon completion of the rotation, a travel award ranging from $750 - $4500 (maximum). This financial support will serve as partial or full reimbursement for travel and living expenses incurred during the rotation. All scholars are required to participate in program evaluation upon completion of the rotation.

International Organizations

Doctors of the World, (also known as Medecins du Monde) provides medical and humanitarian assistance around the world. Similar to MSF (since it had mutual founders), it is a smaller but very active organization.

Doctors Without Borders, (also known as Médecins Sans Frontières or MSF) delivers emergency aid to victims of armed conflict, epidemics, and natural and man-made disasters, and to others who lack health care due to social or geographical isolation.

Global Health Education Consortium [GHEC], provides information about courses, curricula, annotated websites, foreign language study courses, and other materials useful for faculty and students interested in international health. See the “Resources” and “Publications” (see especially the recent publication, “The GHEC Guidebook: Advising Medical Students and Residents for International Experiences”) sections of the GHEC homepage.

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