Student Global Health Experiences

Achieving the goal of patient- and client-centered care requires clinicians to pay attention to the context in which they practice. For a global perspective, we offer Institute-sponsored travel study to observe or participate in care delivery in another country. Students in every full-time, on-campus program will have the opportunity to apply for a global health experience as part of their curriculum.

Jordan refugee camp

Photo of child, clinicians, and student in Jordan

AlBaqaa Refugee Camp in North Amman, Jordan

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Providing direct rehabilitation services to residents

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AlBaqaa Refugee Camp in North Amman, Jordan

Interprofessional Immersion in Manipal India

Photo of MGH Institute student in Manipal, India

Interprofessional Immersion in South India

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Nurse practitioner student does home visit in local fishing village

OT Students in Jordan

Photo of OT students riding camels in Jordan

OT Students Take in Sights

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While on a student immersion to AlBaqaa Refugee Camp in Jordan

Travel Study Resources

This section describes the range of trips offered and resources to help participants demonstrate mastery of the interprofessional global health competencies [1].

Faculty members interested in travel can view policies and procedures on the Intranet [2].

Student resources

These are resources for students who have been accepted into a faculty-led trip so that they can prepare for a safe, productive, and educational experience.

Options Outside the IHP

Faculty members and students interested in academic travel may choose to collaborate with a third-party vendor to arrange logistics. The preferred partner is Child Family Health International [11](CFHI), which has been vetted for health, safety, and security.

Students applying to CFHI should use the Academic Partnership code MGHIHPappfee, which will waive the application fee.

CFHI's Global Health Education Programs are field experiences often referred to as global health internships, clinical electives, away rotations, service-learning, global health scholars programs or externships. They combine exposure to clinical practices, public health, social services, social determinants of health, culture, human resources for health, and much more to provide a reflective, transformative Global Health educational experience.

Offered in Latin America, Africa, Asia, and the United States, CFHI programs immerse you within a global community to see health, life, and culture through the community lens. Programs offer first-hand experiences alongside local physicians and public health experts and combine instruction, experience, service, and reflection, to create a model that supports physicians, clinical sites and communities abroad.

CFHI has over 40 programs in 11 countries, open to all with an interest in global health. Programs are tailored to each participant's educational level and interests and lay the foundation for a career in global health, furthering your understanding of health care and development in communities who are struck by poverty, resource limitations, and a multitude of challenges leading to high burdens of illness, death and reduced quality of life.

Institute sponsorship

To be designated as Institute sponsored, student travel must meet two criteria:

An Institute faculty member must accept responsibility for seeking departmental and school approval, designing learning objectives, and implementing a risk management and emergency preparedness plan. The faculty leader or a designee approved by the academic program must accompany students to each location visited.
Students must travel under the auspices of an approved course. The course must pass the regular departmental or Faculty Senate review process to verify that it contains sufficient academic content.

Students whose travel is designated as Institute-sponsored are covered by insurance and travel emergency assistance serviced under Partners HealthCare TravelSafe [12] (Partners' sign in required) program, managed by Partners Risk and Insurance Services.

Depending on the nature of the travel activity, insurance coverages include medical professional liability, business travel accident, medical assistance, evacuation coverage, general liability, and security assistance.

All travelers must have personal health insurance that covers worldwide claims.

Student responsibilities

To participate in Institute-sponsored travel, students must meet the following requirements:

Sign an acknowledgment of risk form
Provide proof of personal health insurance with worldwide claims coverage
Obtain medical clearance along with documented mandatory immunizations
Participate in pre-departure training on safety, ethics, and professionalism
Secure passport and visa, if needed
Pay full amount of enrollment fees determined by faculty leader
Obey the Guidelines for Conduct [13] [13]in the Student Handbook

The Institute may deny participation if a student does not complete the above actions in a satisfactory and timely manner.

Fundraising

In accordance with the regulations [14] in the Student Handbook, approved student organizations may fundraise and seek charitable donations on behalf of the Institute.

Funds raised using the Institute name may not be used for personal travel expenses.

Use of the Institute’s name in any fundraising materials must receive prior approval by the Office of Student and Alumni Services.

Resources

Partners TravelSafe [5](Partners' sign in required) for information on business-related travel
Worldcue Planner [15](Worldcue sign in required) for global travel health, safety, and security information
BlueCross BlueShield Global [16](BlueCross/BlueShield sign in required) for Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance holders
Square Mouth [7] to compare travel insurance providers
U.S. Department of State [17] travel alerts and warnings
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [18] travel health notices
MGH Traveler’s Advice and Immunization Center [19] for pre-trip medical evaluation
Travelers’ Rapid Health Information Portal [20](link is external) for health advice
Emergency preparedness tip [21]s from Partners Risk and Insurance Services
Traveler Advice on Avoiding Violent Crime [22]
Travel Preparation Advice [23] (with Wallet Card)
Forum on Education Abroad [24]

Student Experiences Around the Globe

This interactive map shows locations of and describes student global health experiences.

Click on the individual markers to learn more about the study opportunity at that location.
Click on icon below to see the complete map legend.
Note, if you scroll down the page along the side, the map will remain the same size. Scrolling over the map increases/decreases the map displayed.

Towards An All-Inclusive Jordan: A Student Experience

Dr. Rawan AlHeresh, an assistant professor of occupational therapy at MGH Institute of Health Professions, talks about her Towards an All-Inclusive Jordan Project. It trains Jordanian health care professionals in community-based rehabilitation while teaching Palestinians in refugee camps how to care for certain physical injuries. Doctor of Occupational Therapy students have traveled to Jordan during the summer and winter semesters. Starting in 2019, students from all of the school’s other academic disciplines – nursing, physical therapy, physician assistant studies, and speech-language pathology – are expected to begin participating in the program.

An ABSN Global Immersion Experience in Peru

Students in the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program talk about their experience traveling to Peru to learn about the health care system and deliver care directly with Peruvian nursing students.