Opportunities

There is tremendous evidence supporting the benefits of global health education and training. These skills are becoming increasingly important to the state of Texas with its plurality of citizens and the large influx of immigrants in the Houston area. We highlight some ongoing efforts by faculty and opportunities for trainees to get involved in global health.

We expect expansion of these opportunities as we establish flagship programs for McGovern Medical School. In the meantime, any faculty, resident or student interested in additional programs and opportunities should contact the Center’s Directors.

Deepa Iyengar, MD MPH
Wunmi Aibana, MD MPH

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麦戈文医学院特色项目

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Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Missions
McGovern Faculty contact:Phuong D. Nguyen, MD, FACS, FAAP
Hanoi, Vietnam

Annual education and hands-on reconstructive mission to Hanoi, Vietnam, distributed over several hospitals throughout the city with distinct areas of focus. Trips are each Spring, in March. The mission has historically been a part of the Reconstructive International Cooperation Exchange (R.I.C.E.) which is now re-branded as Nuoy Reconstructive International. With over 20 years of mission trips, we have performed and taught complex craniofacial surgery, hand surgery, breast reconstruction and microsurgery. The goal of these trips is to build relationships and increase surgical expertise and capacity in Vietnam with our partners and hosts, as well as offering care for complex patients who have reduced access. Our partner institutions have include Vietnam National Children’s Hospital (the only tertiary children’s hospital in northern Vietnam), Viet Duc Hospital (the largest trauma hospital in northern Vietnam), Hong Ngoc Hospital, Hanoi Medical University, and Saint Paul Hospital. There are abundant opportunities for research and clinical participation dependent on experience and training level. All activity are supervised by attending board-certified faculty.

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Swami Vivekanada Youth Movement (SVYM)

The Virtual Global Health Interactive Cross-Training Learning Modules, which were held via Zoom, promoted medical student education on the global burden of disease and gave students a glimpse of real-world challenges faced by physicians on a global scale. Each of the lectures sought to promote medical student education and empowerment by instilling a better understanding of the health-care related challenges faced around the world. Using the virtual platform, students were able to hear from experts who face these problems in India daily. Lectures were designed to show students the burden of disease across the globe in low- and middle-income countries and outline some of the processes and unique management challenges for diseases in specific geographic locations. By enlightening the students to these challenges faced around the world, students were given critical components on the importance of inter-cultural competency training. Once the COVID-19 pandemic has subsided, students will have the opportunity to travel to Mysore for away electives at SVYM. In the meantime, virtual sessions will expand to include live patient encounters and also will open to students broadly outside of the global health concentration.

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If you are a faculty member interested in:

• Being a mentor/advisor for residents/students
• Teaching or participating in research or service at one of our free clinics
• Assisting with curriculum/teaching

Please contactJennifer.A.Ramos@uth.tmc.edu