Purpose

The Distinction in Global & Public Health offers an educational track that introduces medical students to an in-depth review of global and public health through learning modules, critical reflection, lectures, and scholarly projects.  Students will receive a DIGPH Certificate upon successful completion of their portfolio activities.

Objective

The DIGPH track will:

• Increase students’ exposure to the field of global and public health including academic, philanthropic and career opportunities.
• Expand students’ knowledge of global burden of disease, health equity, social determinants of disease and other aspects of global health.
• Promote students’ understanding of regional and local health disparities and the role of the physician in healthcare for  underserved people.
• Develop students’ abilities to compassionately confront the communication barriers and ethical uncertainties that arise when performing clinical or research work in another culture or low-resource setting.
• Foster engagement with global and public health issues in an academically productive manner.
• Facilitate interdisciplinary involvement between the School of Medicine and other U of L entities to promote University-wide global and public health endeavors.
• Explore local and international intercultural partnerships to strengthen U of L’s engagement with the world and build up the capacity for the University to meet the student’s desires for cross-cultural involvement.

Student Outcomes

• Attend lectures related to specific global and public health topics of interest
• Learn critical appraisal skills through exploring the global and public health literature together
• Use critical reflection to personally process thought provoking issues in global and public health
• Increase their capacity to work as scholars through information sessions on library skills, IRB and research techniques, etc
• Complete self-paced Topics in Global and Public Health learning modules
• Create a specific global and public health mentored scholarly project
• Disseminate their work through presentation at a national or regional global or public health conference or other appropriate venue

Criteria for Selection

The Distinction in Global & Public Health Track selection at the UofL SOM is highly competitive. Students who are interested in the Global and Public Health track are encouraged to attend global and public health student interest group activities and relevant lectures.

Application Process

Applications will be disseminated at the end of the first semester with interviews being held and decisions made by the end of February of the MS1 year.

Curriculum

M1 Year

• Contact and meet with assigned U of L Faculty Mentor within 1 month of assignment to determine possible themes/options for DIGPH scholarly project.
• Attend GPH noon lectures – approximately 1 per month
• Students may begin fulfilling their mandatory eLearning requirement as soon as they have been accepted into the GPH Distinction Track.
• Consider using Summer Break time for international activity or development of DIGPH scholarly project
• Complete 1^st DIGPH Critical Reflection Piece and submit for review to the Director of the DIGPH by September 1^st (1^st semester of 2^nd year).
• Participate in Global & Public Health Student Interest Group (recommended throughout medical school)

M2 Year

• Complete 1st DIGPH Critical Reflection Piece and submit for review to the Director of the DIGPH by September 1st.
• Attend Global & Public Health noon lectures, twice monthly, 8 per semester (many also available through Tegrity)
• Meet with assigned Faculty Mentor at least 2 times during the fall semester
• Complete 2nd DIGPH Critical Reflection Piece, submit for review to the Director of the DIGPH
• Plan third year clerkship schedule with up to 4 weeks available for an away rotation
• Meet with assigned Faculty Mentor at least 2 times regarding DIGPH Scholarly Project in the Spring:
• Submit final version of Formal Outline for DIGPH scholarly project to Faculty Mentor and Director of the DIGPH by end of second year (with references and to-do list of things needed to complete project)
• Complete 3rd DIGH Critical Reflection and submit for review to the Director of the DIGPH

M3 Year

• Continue to attend DIGPH lectures/skills workshops/Journal clubs as able (Tegrity when not able)
• Global Health eLearning:  continue fulfilling mandatory eLearning requirements when able to work into academic schedule.
• Meet with Faculty Mentor at least 2 times during the fall semester, continue working on DIGPH Scholarly Project

• Collection of data
• Data analysis
• Write 1st drafts of Context, Results and Recommendations sections
• Write 2nd and 3rd drafts of Introduction/Background , Methods, and Bibliography sections

• Meet with DIGPH Director, or Faculty Mentor prior to and after any away rotation

• Complete 4th DIGPH Critical Reflection Piece by the end of 3rd year, submit for review to the Director of the DIGPH
• Submit proposed 4th year clerkship schedule to Director of the DIGPH including any proposed away rotations
• Discuss residency options with Faculty Mentor or Director of the DIGPH

M4 Year

• Finalize data collection and data analysis
• Write 2nd and 3rd drafts of Context, Results and Recommendations sections
• Write final drafts of Introduction/Background, Methods, and Bibliography sections
• Consider an international activity/experience
• Meet with the DIGPH Director, or Faculty Mentor prior to and after any away rotation
• Submit all post-experience paperwork to Faculty Mentor by the due date
• Continue to attend DIGPH lectures/skills workshops/Journal clubs as able (Tegrity when not able)
• Global Health eLearning:  continue fulfilling mandatory eLearning requirements when able to work into academic schedule.
• DIGPH Scholarly Project is due by April 1st in final format (paper and electronic copies are required):
• Complete 5th and final DIGPH Critical Reflection Piece by April 1st
• Submit for review to the Director of the DIGPH
• Consider attending the annual conference of any of the above Global Health organizations
• Meet with the DIGPH Director for the DIGPH formal exit meeting

Faculty and Mentors

	Bethany Hodge MD MPH Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics Director, Distinction in Global & Public Health University of Louisville School of Medicine bethany.hodge@louisville.edu
	Sheridan Langford, MD, IBCLC Asst. Director, Global and Public Health Distinction Track Associate Professor of Pediatrics Assistant Director, Global Education Office Sheridan.langford@louisville.edu