Global health training among U.S. residency specialties: a systematic literature review

Abstract

Background: Interest in global health training during residency is increasing. Global health knowledge is also becoming essential for health-care delivery today. Many U.S. residency programs have been incorporating global health training opportunities for their residents. We performed a systematic literature review to evaluate global health training opportunities and challenges among U.S. residency specialties. Methods: We searched PubMed from its earliest dates until October 2015. Articles included were survey results of U.S. program directors on global health training opportunities, and web-based searches of U.S. residency program websites on global health training opportunities. Data extracted included percentage of residency programs offering global health training within a specialty and challenges encountered. Results: Studies were found for twelve U.S. residency specialties. Of the survey based studies, the specialties with the highest percentage of their residency programs offering global health training were preventive medicine (83%), emergency medicine (74%), and surgery (71%); and the lowest were orthopaedic surgery (26%), obstetrics and gynecology (28%), and plastic surgery (41%). Of the web-based studies, the specialties with the highest percentage of their residency programs offering global health training were emergency medicine (41%), pediatrics (33%), and family medicine (22%); and the lowest were psychiatry (9%), obstetrics and gynecology (17%), and surgery (18%). The most common challenges were lack of funding, lack of international partnerships, lack of supervision, and scheduling. Conclusion: Among U.S. residency specialties, there are wide disparities for global health training. In general, there are few opportunities in psychiatry and surgical residency specialties, and greater opportunities among medical residency specialties. Further emphasis should be made to scale-up opportunities for psychiatry and surgical residency specialties.

Global Health Education in US Pediatric Residency Programs

“…The lesion causes severe pain and hypersensitivity to cold and is often difficult to diagnose clinically. 1 Love's pin, Hildreth's, and cold sensitivity tests have been previously used to diagnose this condition. Recently, there have been attempts to diagnose GT with nail plate dermoscopy.…”

“…In dermatology, international clinical rotations during residency have increased. [1][2][3][4] This correspondence offers suggestions for residents interested in GHsuggestions that emerged from the authors' experiences with GH programs, practicing dermatology abroad, and mentoring trainees ( Table 1). Although not exhaustive, the list should help one get started.…”

Interested in global health? Here is where to start: a checklist for United States dermatology residents

“…Global health (GH) is increasingly incorporated into health education. In dermatology, international clinical rotations during residency have increased . This correspondence offers suggestions for residents interested in GH – suggestions that emerged from the authors' experiences with GH programs, practicing dermatology abroad, and mentoring trainees (Table ).…”

Demand for global health training and experiences among emergency medicine trainees in Australia and New Zealand

“…Despite international efforts to increase the visibility of GH in medical education programmes, there is limited integration of GHT with postgraduate medical education (PGME) in Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) . By way of contrast, trainees in North America have the option of participating in domestic GH teaching programmes, rotations in RL environments in low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMICs) and post‐specialisation fellowships in GH …”

“…8 By way of contrast, trainees in North America have the option of participating in domestic GH teaching programmes, rotations in RL environments in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) and post-specialisation fellowships in GH. [9][10][11] Although GH experiences (GHEs) can be extremely beneficial for trainees, 2 poorly executed deployments pose risks to the host community. 8,12,13 Formalised GHT helps to mitigate the risk of harm by ensuring that GHEs are undertaken in a rigorous and ethically defensible manner.…”