Global Health Education & Advocacy
(GHEA Elective)
What is Global Health?
Global health as a concept aims to understand as well as improve worldwide health care by focusing attention on inequalities and disparities in health, including health status, access to health services, social & environmental justice, and human rights.
Many factors impact health outcomes in the worldwide setting, but for simplicity, we can summarize them into political, economic, medical, and social factors.
Completion of the GHEA is mandatory for all students going on international electives, including European electives (new as of October 2023), according to the updated International Electives Policy.
JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST below to receive all updates about how to get involved in this elective
Interested in international electives? Watch Dr. Dominic Allain's talk with Q&A from Nov here.
Information about various field stations can be found here
How to apply for international electives can be found here.
Upcoming Events
Date: Feb 08, 2024
Time: TBD [Fair runs from 9:30 AM - 5:30 PM]
Elective credit: 1-2 hours
Location: Telus International Centre (hybrid options available)
Description: Students can get 1 or 2 elective hours for attending the Global Health Fair: 1 hour if you attend the keynote and an optional additional hour for attending any other speaker throughout the day. Students must submit a reflection on each talk for credit so organizers can confirm attendance (reflection submission link is available here).
Register here.
Power & Privilege
Date: TBD
Time: TBD
Elective credit: 3 hours
Location: TBD
Description: An awareness of power and privilege is essential for patient-centered care. However, it is a concept that societies often struggle with and resist. Even among those who acknowledge the immense impact that power and privilege have in our society, it can be an uncomfortable topic that many tend to avoid. As future healthcare professionals and patient advocates, however, it is especially vital for us to become aware of and conversant in this issue.
Global Health Determinants and Inequalities
Date: TBD
Time: TBD
Elective credit: 3 hours
Location: TBD
Description: Part 1 - A representative from the International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA) will speak on opportunities available to students through both the IFMSA and through external partners. Students will be guided on how to further engage with organizations like WHO, the United Nations, and other major not-for-profit agencies (1 hour)
Part 2 - Global Health Careers Panel (1 hour)
Part 3 - International Health Mix & Mingle: “Speed dating” event with students rotating between breakout rooms to have conversations with Global Health professionals who are engaged in global health work. Each breakout room will have a theme. (1 hour)
Ethical Development Reverse Innovation Challenge
Date: TBD
Time: TBD
Elective credit: 2 hours
Location: TBD
Description: The Ethical Development Reverse Innovation Challenge (EDRIC) is an interdisciplinary pitch competition that provides a supervised exercise for students to learn how to approach complex issues in global health with economic viability, cultural sensitivity, and sustainability. The event is hosted by ICChange and the EDRIC committee at the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry.
Theme for this year: TBA (Previous theme: Sustainability in Alberta’s Health Services). The winning team will be selected, by an interdisciplinary and distinguished panel of judges, based on originality of the idea, presentation quality, quality of research feasibility, and potential for local impact. The winning team will receive mentorship, career development advice, and a cash prize to either be donated to an organization of their choice (anywhere in the world) that works to address this year’s theme of choice or to help seed their idea.
Although participation in the event is projected to take approximately 8 hours, students can earn a maximum of 2 hours of GHEA credit.
Pre-departure lunch meeting
Date: TBD
Time: TBD
Elective credit: 1 hour
Location: TBD
Description: While this is specifically designed for students who will be participating in international electives, all students will be welcome to attend. Here, students with confirmed international electives will be asked to prepare a 5-minute briefing on their projected activities, including expectations, challenges, and goals. There will be opportunities for feedback from both students and from facilitators with experience in the region the student will be visiting.
Light snacks will be provided for those who register in advance.
Upcoming Global Health Rounds
For registration, follow links on the website. Attending each round counts as 0.5 hour towards the global health elective towards a maximum of 2 elective hours (4 rounds). Additionally a post-attendance reflection must be completed.
Post-attendance Reflection Link : https://forms.gle/CoGBPvY8g18KQzmG8
2023
December 12 - Dr. Shahrzad Joharifard
2024
January 16 - Sintayehu Fekadu, Hawassa University
March 14 - Dr. Carmen Faso, University of Bern
April 11 - Students Invested in Health Association (SIHA)
Past events (2023-2024)
What is Global Health?
Date: November 28th
Time: 12-1 PM
Elective credit: 1 hour
Location: Online
Description: Introduction to Global Health with Dr. Dominic Allain. This session will provide an introduction to the field and concept of global health. Themes covered in this session will include the sustainable development goals, health equity, health promotion, global health research, the importance of terminology and ethical engagement. Students will develop an understanding of how to frame their own international health electives with these broader global goals in mind. (1 hr)
Doing Global Health Locally
Date: December 13, 2023
Time: 12:00 - 1:00 PM
Elective credit: 1 hour
Location: ECHA 2-430
Description: Are you interested in global health but you're not quite sure where to start? Do you feel passionately about health equity and understanding complex health problems among populations, but going on an international exchange isn't something you're able to commit to? Then this event is for you! Dr. Molly Whalen-Browne is giving a lunch talk on engagement with global health on a local scale, followed by a period for questions and discussion.
Lunch will be provided to students who register in advance.
Register here.
Ethical Engagement with Global Health
Date: January 10, 2024
Time: 6:30 - 8:30 PM
Elective credit: 2 hours
Location: TBD
Description: Part 1: “First, Do No Harm” movie screening: This is a qualitative research documentary by Alyson and Timothy Holland. The documentary explores the ethics of global health clinical electives and volunteer projects in developing regions. It features interviews from experts and global health providers from Europe, Africa, Asia, North and South America.
Part 2: Guided discussion about documentary: Guided discussion in response to issues covered in documentary (ie. Going beyond one’s medical competence). Please note, for students wishing to complete the GHEA elective, this event is mandatory. If you cannot attend due to a scheduling conflict, please contact the local officers at lo.globalhealth@gmail.com as soon as possible.
2023-2024 Syllabus
*Please note that the syllabus is subjected to change depending on speaker/preceptor and resource availability*
Contact Us
GHEA Team 2023-2024
Madeleine Kruth (2026) | Salma Farag (2026)
Jenna Mulji (2027) | Halimat Ibrahim (2027)
Email: lo.globalhealth@gmail.com