Training healthcare professionals for the future: Internationalism and effective inclusion of global health training

Abstract

There has been a continuing rise in recent years of the number of medical schools in the developed world offering 'global health' teaching to its students. Yet, the term itself is used in a number of contexts and as yet no clear consensus on what constitutes an appropriate or successful global health education programme has been reached. Approaches to sustainable internationalisation of medical curricula include the expansion of not only opportunities for training in specific global health topics, but also the development of broader generic graduate attributes including global citizenship and ethical, cultural and social responsibility. Key components for successful implementation of such an educational framework includes a breadth of educational approach to effect truly integrated and effective curricular internationalisation. That such programmes can offer benefits is appreciated by both faculty and students alike, but there is also a burgeoning concern about potential negative effects of socially and culturally insensitive programmes. We explore three potential pedagogic approaches to the subject; Model A: an 'additive' or contributory model of global health content (the commonest current approach), Model B: an 'integrated' approach and Model C: the more challenging 'transformative' approach requiring institutional as well as programme flexibility.

Learning global health: a pilot study of an online collaborative intercultural peer group activity involving medical students in Australia and Indonesia

“…It has been argued that medical schools should plan to deliver global health curricula as truly transformative learning experiences [8]. The criteria for the transformative learning model in global health suggested by Murdoch-Eaton et al [7] includes : Recognition and utilisation of international staff and students as resources and co- developers of curricular material; utilisation of international students’ experiences to not only contribute to the sessions but also to develop session material sensitive to their needs; accommodation of students’ culturally different learning styles and preferences; inclusion of group tasks where members are from different cultures; and utilisation of web technologies including online networking and liaison with schools and students from international schools to facilitate co-learning . The RIPPLE activity used in the present study integrated most of these criteria in one learning experience.…”

“…Here, intercultural competence is understood as “the ability to interact effectively and appropriately in intercultural situations, based on specific attitudes, intercultural knowledge, skills and reflection” [9, 10]. Models for internationalising the medical curriculum range from minor add-on programs through to more integrated approaches that promote transformative learning [7, 8]. Global health content is generally taught in traditional formats such as lectures, tutorials and workshops [11].…”

Technology and the delivery of the curriculum of the future: Opportunities and challenges

“…Professionalism and globalisation require appreciation of the plurality of experience, including different societies, patients, carers and other healthcare professionals (Eaton et al 2011). Assessment has also started to change focus from outcome measures to an understanding of the process of learning, with formative assessment for learning being used to guide approaches for both teaching and learning (Cooper 2006).…”

Cultural Competence and Global Health: Perspectives for Medical Education – Position paper of the GMA Committee on Cultural Competence and Global Health

“…There are also publications about courses and programs on other continents [36], [37]. This likewise applies to the somewhat more recent topic of global health, which is also receiving growing attention in medical education, accompanied by related discussions regarding content, objectives, structure and teaching strategies [14], [38], [39], [40], [41], [42], [43], [44], [45], [46], [47]. However, a general statement about the type of courses or their mere existence in different countries cannot be made, since no comprehensive data has been collected and there are no universal definitions, nor is there uniformity among course titles.…”