Program

GHEE's Minor Global Health program is a 12-week course for 3rd year Bachelor students (Medicine, Clinical Technology, Erasmus University College and Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management).

The course is organized in such a way that you have lectures, practicals and masterclasses for 5 weeks on all aspects of Global Health, whereafter you go abroad for about 6 weeks to experience Health & Healthcare in a completely different setting and culture. The Minor is concluded with two Symposia, one where as a group students present their assignments, and one with a specific topic with invited speakers.

The Minor Global Health started in 2010 as a rather small program: 33 students going to 3 countries (Malawi, Zambia and Suriname). Since then the program has grown to include about 120 students each year going to 50 institutes in 21 different countries in 2019 (The Netherlands, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Suriname, USA, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Iran, Oman, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Viet Nam).

However, due to the ongoing SARS-COV2 pandemic, the MGH2020 and MGH2021 programs had to be adapted to the new normal, meaning that the full program (10 weeks) was organized in Rotterdam, The Netherlands with the option to go abroad in the Summer/Fall of 2022.

With the advent of the omikron variant, the natural evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic is comparable to that of the Spanish flu in 1918-1920, namely into a less severe but endemic disease like influenza. Due to this and due to the massive vaccination and booster campaigns globally, international travel and exchanges have been be possible again since March 2022. Therefore, the Minor Global Health 2022 program could be organized as we originally developed it as of August 2022.

Also for the Minor Global Health 2023 we expect that international travel and exchanges will be possible in September & October 2023.

For those students who are interested in Global Health, but who for whatever reason cannot travel abroad in September/October 2023, we will offer an extensive virtual mobility program. With virtual mobility you will have weekly meetings with your peer students, coordinators and lecturers of the sites & countries you are interested in. And it will give you the opportunity to 'travel' to more than 1 country only; if you want you can go to all 17 countries involved! So, also from Rotterdam you can have an awesome global program!

Content

In the Minor Global Health you will come to learn every aspect of Sustainable Global Health, Planetary Health and International Healthcare in low and middle income countries (LMIC), as well as emerging economies to contrast with health and healthcare in The Netherlands. Determinants of Health and Disease (local, regional, national and international), the Global Burden of Disease, Universal Health Coverage, Sustainable Development Goals, Climate Change & Planetary Health, Health Care systems in diverse cultural backgrounds and learning to deal with limited resources (preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic) will be the main themes.

Next to Health & Healthcare at a tertiary level (urban, university medical center) you will be exposed to Health & Health Care in a rural setting (district hospital, related health centers and health posts, primary health care, community health, public health). All this in a very different culture and climate.

In the 2023 edition of our Minor Global Health 120 students can participate and you choose from 5 continents, 18 countries and 40 institutes:

  • Asia – Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Taiwan

  • Africa – Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia

  • Middle East – Oman

  • South America – Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador and Suriname

  • Europe - The Netherlands

Learning Goals

After completing the Minor Global Health the student is able to:

  • describe the principles of (Sustainable) Global Health

  • relate determinants of disease (Global Burden of Disease) to global AND local developments

  • describe and explain causes, effects and solutions for Climate Change and its effect on Planetary Health

  • become aware of, experience and reflect on the factors associated with differences in health and healthcare in a different culture and in a different country

  • describe and explain what Universal Health Coverage is

  • describe and explain the Millennium Development and Sustainable Development Goals

  • describe the various healthcare systems

  • describe and recognize the most important prevalent diseases, globally and locally, and name their prevention, diagnosis and treatment

  • relate clinical care and public health in the broader sense, in urban and rural settings in developed and developing countries

Specific Characteristics

The Minor Global Health is open to 3rd year Bachelor students in Medicine, Clinical Technology, Erasmus University College (LS track) and the Institute of Health Policy & Management with:

  • Demonstrable interest in Global Health.

  • Good command of the English Language.

  • Having acquired all study credits (60 ECTS) of Bachelor year 1.

  • Having passed ALL exams in Bachelor year 2 in the period 21 August – 10 November 2023.

    • Specifically for Medicine these are:

      • Exam 2A1

      • PKV en CA exams

  • Not having any other compulsory Education obligations in the period 21 August – 10 November 2023.

  • Writing an English motivation letter and resumé are part of the application procedure of this minor.

Organization

The program consists of several parts:

  1. Preparation

    • Kick-off Meeting Monday 15 May 2023

    • Preparation sessions & Language courses 5 - 7 and 19 - 21 June 2023 (10.00-12.00, 16.00-18.00 and 18.00-20.00 hrs)

    • Coursera's online course 'Essentials of Global Health' by Richard Skolnik

  2. GHEE

    • 5 weeks of Global Health Education in Rotterdam starting Monday 21 August 2023, including 4 tracks:

      • 'Essentials of Global Health' track

      • 'Humans of Global Health' track

      • 'Corona & Global Health' track, and

      • our famous 'Global Health Masterclasses’

    • 6 weeks ABROAD to the country and institutes of your choice as of Friday 22 September 2023

      • to get immersed in Health & Healthcare

        • in a completely different setting

        • in a completely different culture

        • in a completely different country

OR

  • 6 weeks of 'VIRTUAL MOBILITY' from Rotterdam as of Friday 22 September 2023

    • with weekly meetings with your peer students, coordinators, lecturers etc. at the site you are you are interested in

      • this will give you the opportunity to 'travel' to more than 1 country only

      • if you want you can 'go' to all countries involved!


  1. Global Health symposium in Rotterdam (Erasmus MC) 9 & 10 November 2023


Every week has its own theme, the most important diseases and aspects of the organization of healthcare in ‘low-, middle income and emerging economies’, urban as well as rural, will be discussed.

The following themes will be presented:

  • Principles of Global Health

  • Global Burden of Disease

  • Climate Change & Planetary Health

  • Determinants of Health & Disease

  • Public Health & Prevention

  • Univeral Health Coverage

  • MDG’s & SDG’s

  • Ethics, Corruption & Culture

  • Mother & Child Health

  • Communicable Diseases

  • Non-communicable diseases

For the compulsory assignment students can choose to:

  • Write a Case Review

  • Produce a Video Documentary, Vidcast and/or Podcast series

Education materials

Compulsory literature:

And:

  • Lecture sheets.

  • Education materials used during lectures and workshops.

  • Online Education:

  • Reader with lectures and other materials from the host institutes abroad.

Advised literature:

Hours & Numbers

The Minor Global Health will have at least 20 contact hours per week; and a minimum of 200 contact hours for the minor as a whole.

Maximum number of students that can participate per minor (per site-country): 8

Minimum number of students that can participate per minor (per site-country): 4

Maximum total number of students that can participate: 120

  • Maximum 100 Erasmus MC Medical students

  • Maximum 10 Clinical Technology students

  • Maximum of 10 students from ESHPM or EUC

Minimum total number of students that can participate: 40

Examination

The final mark will consist of:

  1. The mark for the Global Health Essay (45%)

  2. The mark for the Individual Assignment (45%)

  3. The mark for Professional Behavior and Performance abroad (10%)

The marks of all parts need to be sufficient (5.5 or higher = 60%).

Feedback

Students will get direct feedback on their assignments. The assignment will be discussed individually with their supervisors. Feedback on the exam will be through an inspection session.