Evaluation of a Structured Predeparture Orientation at the David Geffen School of Medicine's Global Health Education Programs

Using Prompted Reflective Writing to Demonstrate Learning of Physician Competencies during Global Clinical Rotations

Global health education programs have grown in number and rigor with the development of learning objectives, competency frameworks, and assessment tools. This study aimed to assess whether prompted reflective writing could demonstrate medical student learning of physician competencies during global clinical rotations. From 2014 to 2018, 135 medical students who participated in global health clinical rotations responded to four reflective writing prompts. We conducted qualitative content analysis of 487 individual responses using grounded theory and an iterative process to identify themes associated with the eight American Association of Medical College physician competency domains. In response to prompted reflective writing assignments, students demonstrated learning related to all eight competencies. They reflected on systems-based practice while also sharing their growth in knowledge and skills related to personal and professional development, knowledge for practice, interprofessional collaboration, and patient care. In demonstrating practice-based learning and improvement, students additionally reflected on how the experiences during their global clinical rotations might influence their future careers as physicians. Our findings suggest that prompted reflective writing during global clinical rotations allows medical students to demonstrate learning in the competency domains expected of all physician trainees and to reflect on the application of this learning to current and future patient care. In reading students' writings, we found that prompted reflective writing during global clinical rotations offers an opportunity for students to illustrate the knowledge and skills they have acquired as physicians in training.

U.S. trainees' experiences of ethical challenges during research in low- and middle-income countries: A mixed methods study

High-income country (HIC) trainees are participating in research in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) in increasing numbers, yet the ethical challenges they face have not been well described. We conducted a mixed methods study of U.S. graduate and undergraduate students who conducted research in LMIC, including an online survey and semi-structured interviews. Among 123 online survey respondents, 31% reported ethical challenges and nearly two-thirds of respondents did not feel well prepared to deal with ethical challenges. Qualitative analysis of the 17 semi-structure interviews and narrative survey responses revealed many themes of 'ethics in practice': challenges in setting research priorities, navigating relationships with host country partners, scope of research practice, and human subject protections. Respondents reported that pre-departure trainings were not reflective of ethical frameworks or research contexts in LMIC, and few described seeking host mentor help in addressing ethical challenges. These results suggest a need for improvements in training, oversight and mentorship of trainee researchers, and to further engage both HIC and LMIC institutions, educators and researchers in addressing ethical issues.

Low- and Middle-Income Country Host Perceptions of Short-Term Experiences in Global Health: A Systematic Review

PURPOSE

Stakeholders have expressed concerns regarding the impact of visiting trainees and physicians from high-income countries (HICs) providing education and/or short-term clinical care in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This systematic review aimed to summarize LMIC host perceptions of visiting trainees and physicians from HICs during short-term experiences in global health (STEGH).

METHOD

In September 2018 then again in August 2020, the authors searched 7 databases (PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, ERIC, Cochrane Library, Global Index Medicus) for peer-reviewed studies that described LMIC host perceptions of STEGH. They extracted information pertaining to study design, participant demographics, participant perceptions, representation of LMICs and HICs, and HIC visitors' roles and used thematic synthesis to code the text, develop descriptive themes, and generate analytical themes.

RESULTS

Of the 4,020 studies identified, 17 met the inclusion criteria. In total, the studies included 448 participants, of which 395 (88%) represented LMICs. The authors identified and organized 42 codes under 8 descriptive themes. They further organized these descriptive themes into 4 analytical themes related to STEGH: (1) sociocultural and contextual differences, (2) institutional and programmatic components, (3) impact on host institutions and individuals, and (4) visitor characteristics and conduct.

CONCLUSIONS

STEGH can have both beneficial and detrimental effects on LMIC host institutions and individuals. The authors translated these findings into a set of evidence-based best practices for STEGH that provide specific guidance for LMIC and HIC stakeholders. Moving forward, LMIC and HIC institutions must work together to focus on the quality of their relationships and create conditions in which all stakeholders feel empowered to openly communicate to ensure equity and mutual benefit for all parties.

Pediatric nurses' perceptions of preparedness for global health fieldwork

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive research study was to understand the current state, perceived content, and experiential needs of pediatric nurses preparing for global health (GH) fieldwork experience. This study aimed to inform stakeholders about the standard and unique preparation needs of pediatric GH nurses.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

One group and five individual interviews were held with nurses from a large pediatric quaternary care facility in the Northeast United States. Data from the interviews were transcribed verbatim, eliminating personal data. Only deidentified transcripts were used for data analysis. Members of the study team used content analysis to systematically code and analyze the data.

RESULTS

Qualitative content analysis revealed five categories: (1) identifying clear objectives, (2) understanding the practice environment, (3) self-assessment of clinical skills, cultural competencies, and adaptability, (4) safety and logistics planning, and (5) psychological self-care and reentry anticipatory guidance.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings can provide a basis for program planning to prepare pediatric nurses for GH fieldwork. Program planning must account for the unique features of the site and situation. Organizational and personal preparation can influence the perceived success of the GH experience.

Global Health Education Programs in the Americas: A Scoping Review

Background:

The interest in Global Health (GH) as an academic discipline has increased in the last decade. This article reports the findings of a scoping review of studies about Global Health education in the Americas.

Objective:

To analyse educational programs on global health in the Americas.

Method:

Five electronic databases were used in a scoping review: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Knowledge, CINAHL, and Lilacs. Data collection happened in November 2017–March 2018. The following stages were rigorously observed: identification, selection, charting, and summarizing the studies that were included. To process the data, we used IRaMuTeQ software.

Findings:

Forty-six studies were identified and organized in categories: 1) diversity of the topics addressed in GH; 2) models of teaching; 3) emotional, cultural, and collaborative aspects in teaching GH; 4) student preparation for GH experiences; and 5) structures required for a GH course.

Conclusions:

The existing global health curriculum in the Americas is diffuse and limited, with a greater focus on clinical aspects. Thus, a minimum curriculum for students from different areas is needed. Results evidenced that the teaching of global health in the Americas is still incipient, although it is promising. The lack of a common curriculum for the courses in the region makes it difficult to train sensitive and capable professionals to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

Are you ready? A systematic review of pre-departure resources for global health electives

BACKGROUND

There has been an exponential increase in the offering of short-term international field experiences in recent years in response to student demands for global health opportunities. Pre-departure preparation is an essential component to equip trainees with the adequate safety, wellness, and cultural competence needed to engage in a meaningful and mutually beneficial elective. This review seeks to quantify the plethora of pre-departure preparation training available to public health, clinical, and undergraduate trainees across the continuum of education for short-term experiences in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs).

METHODS

We performed a systematic review of Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, and Ovid Global Health in February, 2018. A three-concept search was employed and included "global or international health"; "education or preparation of personnel/students"; and "field programs or travel." The study teamed used PRISMA reporting guidelines to conduct title and full-text reviews and conduct data extraction and analysis.

RESULTS

The search returned 2506 unique articles. Of these, 55 met inclusion criteria and were included in the final review. Ninety one percent (91%) of articles focused on pre-departure trainings for medical students and residents. Nine thematic domains for short-term international field experiences emerged; culture, safety, and project-specific knowledge were the most frequently covered domains while mentorship, professionalism, and emotional wellness and culture shock were least common. Approximately half (53.3%) of studies specifically evaluated the pre-departure component of the international experience using a survey or evaluation form. Recommendations emerged from these evaluations including early engagement with international partners, inclusion of self-reflection exercises and site-specific content, and utilization of interactive approaches in learning. Some institutions face barriers to conducting pre-departure preparation such as lack of dedicated faculty, finances, and institutional support.

CONCLUSIONS

Interest in pre-departure training for international experiences is growing but few programs conduct and publish evaluations of these trainings. Pre-departure trainings should be developed in partnership with receiving institutions and faculty and incorporate critical self- reflection throughout the experience. In addition to the experience itself, institutions need to evaluate these curricula to better understand how they influence trainees' capacity to effectively engage in LMIC settings.

Pre-departure Training for Healthcare Students Going Abroad: Impact on Preparedness

Background:

Many medical and nursing schools offer opportunities for students to participate in global health experiences abroad, but little is known about the efficacy of pre-departure training in preparing students for these experiences.

Objectives:

The primary aim was to identify characteristics of pre-departure training associated with participants’ reporting a high level of preparedness for their global health experiences. Secondary objectives included identifying students’ preferred subjects of study and teaching modalities for pre-departure training.

Methods:

A questionnaire was distributed to all medical and nursing students at our institution from 2013 to 2015. Questions addressed prior global health experiences and pre-departure training, preferences for pre-departure training, and demographic information.

Findings:

Of 517 respondents, 55% reported having a prior global health experience abroad, 77% of whom felt prepared for their experience. Fifty-three percent received pre-departure training. Simply receiving pre-departure training was not associated with perceived preparedness, but pre-departure training in the following learning domains was: travel safety, personal health, clinical skills, cultural awareness, and leadership. Perceiving pre-departure training as useful was also independently associated with self-reported preparedness. Students’ preferred instruction methods included discussion, lecture, and simulation, and their most desired subjects of study were travel safety (81%), cultural skills (87%), and personal health (82%).

Conclusions:

Incorporating travel safety, personal health, clinical skills, cultural awareness, and/or leadership into pre-departure training may increase students’ preparedness for global health experiences. Student perceptions of the usefulness of pre-departure training is also associated with self-reported preparedness, suggesting a possible “buy-in” effect.

Impact of Global Health Electives on US Medical Residents: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of global health in graduate medical education in the United States (US) has soared over the past two decades. The majority of US internal medicine and pediatric residency programs now offer global health electives abroad. Despite the prevalence of global health electives among US graduate medical programs today, challenges exist that may impact the experience for visiting trainees and/or host institutions. Previous reviews have predominately focused on experiences of undergraduate medical students and have primarily described positive outcomes.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to summarize the overall impact of global health electives on US internal medicine, medicine-pediatric, and pediatric residents, paying specific attention to any negative themes reported in the literature.

METHODS

An Ovid MEDLINE and Ovid EMBASE literature search was conducted to identify studies that evaluated the effects of global health electives on US internal medicine, medicine-pediatric, and pediatric residents.

FINDINGS

Ten studies were included. Four positive themes emerged: (1) improvement of medical knowledge, physical examination, and procedural skills, (2) improvement in resourcefulness and cost-effectiveness, (3) improvement in cultural and interpersonal competence, and (4) professional and career development. Two negative themes were identified: (1) health risks and (2) safety risks.

CONCLUSIONS

Global health electives provide a number of perceived benefits for US medical trainees; however, we importantly highlight health and safety concerns described while abroad. Global health educators should recognize the host of unique challenges experienced during a global health elective and investigate how to best mitigate these concerns. Incorporation of mandatory pre-, intra-, and post-elective training programs and establishment of universally adopted global health best practice guidelines may serve to address some the challenges visiting trainees encounter while abroad.

Pre-departure Training for Healthcare Students Going Abroad: Impact on Preparedness

BACKGROUND

Many medical and nursing schools offer opportunities for students to participate in global health experiences abroad, but little is known about the efficacy of pre-departure training in preparing students for these experiences.

OBJECTIVES

The primary aim was to identify characteristics of pre-departure training associated with participants' reporting a high level of preparedness for their global health experiences. Secondary objectives included identifying students' preferred subjects of study and teaching modalities for pre-departure training.

METHODS

A questionnaire was distributed to all medical and nursing students at our institution from 2013 to 2015. Questions addressed prior global health experiences and pre-departure training, preferences for pre-departure training, and demographic information. Findings: Of 517 respondents, 55% reported having a prior global health experience abroad, 77% of whom felt prepared for their experience. Fifty-three percent received pre-departure training. Simply receiving pre-departure training was not associated with perceived preparedness, but pre-departure training in the following learning domains was: travel safety, personal health, clinical skills, cultural awareness, and leadership. Perceiving pre-departure training as useful was also independently associated with self-reported preparedness. Students' preferred instruction methods included discussion, lecture, and simulation, and their most desired subjects of study were travel safety (81%), cultural skills (87%), and personal health (82%).

CONCLUSIONS

Incorporating travel safety, personal health, clinical skills, cultural awareness, and/or leadership into pre-departure training may increase students' preparedness for global health experiences. Student perceptions of the usefulness of pre-departure training is also associated with self-reported preparedness, suggesting a possible "buy-in" effect.

Impact of Global Health Electives on US Medical Residents: A Systematic Review

Background:

The prevalence of global health in graduate medical education in the United States (US) has soared over the past two decades. The majority of US internal medicine and pediatric residency programs now offer global health electives abroad. Despite the prevalence of global health electives among US graduate medical programs today, challenges exist that may impact the experience for visiting trainees and/or host institutions. Previous reviews have predominately focused on experiences of undergraduate medical students and have primarily described positive outcomes.

Objectives:

The aim of this study was to summarize the overall impact of global health electives on US internal medicine, medicine-pediatric, and pediatric residents, paying specific attention to any negative themes reported in the literature.

Methods:

An Ovid MEDLINE and Ovid EMBASE literature search was conducted to identify studies that evaluated the effects of global health electives on US internal medicine, medicine-pediatric, and pediatric residents.

Findings:

Ten studies were included. Four positive themes emerged: (1) improvement of medical knowledge, physical examination, and procedural skills, (2) improvement in resourcefulness and cost-effectiveness, (3) improvement in cultural and interpersonal competence, and (4) professional and career development. Two negative themes were identified: (1) health risks and (2) safety risks.

Conclusions:

Global health electives provide a number of perceived benefits for US medical trainees; however, we importantly highlight health and safety concerns described while abroad. Global health educators should recognize the host of unique challenges experienced during a global health elective and investigate how to best mitigate these concerns. Incorporation of mandatory pre-, intra-, and post-elective training programs and establishment of universally adopted global health best practice guidelines may serve to address some the challenges visiting trainees encounter while abroad.

Pediatricians and Global Health: Opportunities and Considerations for Meaningful Engagement

Pediatric practitioners whose expertise is primarily focused on the care of children within health settings in the United States are increasingly engaged in global child health (GCH). The wide spectrum of this involvement may include incorporating short-term or longer-term GCH commitments in clinical care, teaching and training, mentoring, collaborative research, health policy, and advocacy into a pediatric career. We provide an overview of routes of engagement, identify resources, and describe important considerations for and challenges to better equipping US pediatric practitioners to participate in meaningful GCH experiences. This article is part of a series on GCH describing critical issues relevant to caring for children from an international perspective.

Development of an HIV Postexposure Prophylaxis (PEP) Protocol for Trainees Engaging in Academic Global Health Experiences

PROBLEM

Global health (GH) education programs have become increasingly common in U.S. medical schools and graduate medical education programs, with growing numbers of medical students, residents, and fellows participating in clinical experiences in settings with high HIV prevalence and limited resources. However, there are no guidelines for provision of HIV postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) to trainees engaging in these academic GH experiences.

APPROACH

Faculty of the Global Health Education Programs (GHEP) at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and GH partner institutions recognized the need for PEP access for trainees engaged in GH experiences. In 2013-2014, key UCLA faculty collaborated in the development of the UCLA GHEP PEP Protocol, which includes provision of PEP medications to trainees prior to departure, an on-call infectious disease/HIV specialist to advise trainees who have exposures, and a system for following up with exposed trainees while on the GH rotation and after their return.

OUTCOMES

Between February 2014 and September 2016, 112 medical students and 110 residents received education on the PEP protocol during their predeparture orientation. The protocol was used for 28 exposures (27 occupational, 1 nonoccupational), with PEP recommended in 3 occupational cases (all needlesticks) and the single nonoccupational case. There were no reported HIV seroconversions.

NEXT STEPS

The authors plan to formally evaluate the PEP protocol, conduct a qualitative assessment with trainees and both UCLA and GH partner faculty, and discuss best practices with institutions across the United States and with GH partners.

Creating Online Training for Procedures in Global Health with PEARLS (Procedural Education for Adaptation to Resource-Limited Settings)

The authors describe a multiinstitutional collaborative project to address a gap in global health training by creating a free online platform to share a curriculum for performing procedures in resource-limited settings. This curriculum called PEARLS (Procedural Education for Adaptation to Resource-Limited Settings) consists of peer-reviewed instructional and demonstration videos describing modifications for performing common pediatric procedures in resource-limited settings. Adaptations range from the creation of a low-cost spacer for inhaled medications to a suction chamber for continued evacuation of a chest tube. By describing the collaborative process, we provide a model for educators in other fields to collate and disseminate procedural modifications adapted for their own specialty and location, ideally expanding this crowd-sourced curriculum to reach a wide audience of trainees and providers in global health.

Bidirectional Exchange in Global Health: Moving Toward True Global Health Partnership

Although there has been rapid growth in global health educational experiences over the last two decades, the flow of learners remains overwhelmingly one directional; providers from high-resourced settings travel to limited-resourced environments to participate in clinical care, education, and/or research. Increasingly, there has been a call to promote parity in partnerships, including the development of bidirectional exchanges, where trainees from each institution travel to the partner's setting to learn from and teach each other. As global health educators and steering committee members of the Association of Pediatric Program Directors Global Health Pediatric Education Group, we endorse the belief that we must move away from merely sending learners to international partner sites and instead become true global health partners offering equitable educational experiences. In this article, we summarize the benefits, review common challenges, and highlight solutions to hosting and providing meaningful global health experiences for learners from limited-resourced partner institutions to academic health centers in the United States.

Ensuring the Health, Safety and Preparedness of U.S. Medical Students Participating in Global Health Electives Overseas

Global health electives based in resource-poor countries have become extremely popular with medical students from resource rich ones. As the number of such programs and participants increase, so too do the absolute health and safety risks. It is clear from a number of published reports that many institutions provide little or no meaningful preparedness for students and do little to ensure their health and safety. These deficiencies together can affect students, their foreign hosts, and sponsoring institutions. The School of Public Health at the State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center, and its predecessor, the Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, have sponsored a 6-8 week global health elective for fourth year medical students since 1980. The purposes of this elective are to provide students with an opportunity to observe the health care and public health systems in resource-poor countries, provide medical service, and have a cross-cultural experience. Over the course of the past 35 years, 386 students have participated in this global health elective in more than 41 resource-poor countries. Recent annual applications for this elective have been as high as 44 out of a class of 200 students. Over the past 10 years, annual acceptance rates have varied, ranging from a low of 32 % in 2007-2008 to a high of 74 % in 2010-2011 and 2013-2014. Careful screening, including a written application, review of academic records and personal interviews, has resulted in the selection of highly mature, adaptable, and dedicated students who have performed well at overseas sites. Appropriately preparing students for an overseas global health experience in resource-poor countries requires the investment of much professional and staff time and effort. At the SUNY Downstate School of Public Health, these resources have underpinned our Global Health in Developing Countries elective for many years. As a result, the elective is characterized by meticulous organization, extensive preparedness measures for students, and continuous monitoring of site and country safety. The health of students is ensured by one-on-one assessment of immunization needs, anti-malarials, and the provision of a five-day supply of post-exposure HIV prophylaxis. Students sign agreements regarding the legal issues, immunizations, and anti-malarials recommended as well as HIV post-exposure prophylaxis. They are also required to obtain medical evacuation insurance provided by the university, and medical care insurance valid overseas. Student travel plans are also approved as is in-country lodging. The focus of our 6-8 week global health elective is not clinical medicine. Rather, it is to enable students to learn about the health care and public health systems in a resource-poor country. Through that focus, they also come to understand the causes of health and health care disparities that exist in the country to which they are assigned. Our students are greatly advantaged with regard to cross-cultural understanding since our school is located in New York City's Borough of Brooklyn, where 40 % of the population was born outside of the U.S. Our comprehensive effort at risk management for this global health elective includes a thorough debriefing for each student upon his/her return. Special attention is given to ascertaining illness or injury while overseas, and, when necessary, immediate referral is made to an appropriate university clinical department where a student can be appropriately case managed. Meticulous oversight, careful selection of safe overseas sites, and attention to preparing students have resulted in significant risk reduction and successful experiences for the majority of our 386 students. This article describes the model we have developed for ensuring the health, safety, and preparedness of students participating in our global health elective.