This article discusses some practical strategies for designing and implementing a cross-cultural interprofessional study abroad course, including pre-departure preparation, facilitating small groups with local students, establishing a weekly theme, utilizing role-play and reflective assignments, and implementing meaningful evaluation strategies. These strategies were based on three years of experience and were found to effectively increase students’ cultural competence and self-confidence, as evidenced by student evaluations and results from a focus group conducted one year after the course. Short term study abroad courses with appropriate pedagogical design are significant strategies for health profession programs in the face of growing diversity and globalization.

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The provision of public health care is no longer within the control of the traditional public health care providers...the resources to provide public health care will not again in the forseeable future be under our control. The future of public health rests in our ability to collaborate, coordinate, and form coalitions within the communities we live and work. We must change from organizing our resources by program. In the future we will be called to organize to achieve outcomes.