Global Health

BCRP Global Child Health Initiative

The goals of the BCRP Global Child Health Initiative are to increase awareness of the importance of global health equity; and to provide exposure to relevant issues in the field as well as mentorship to residents with career interests in global child health through high-quality opportunities for meaningful  global health  experiences and community building.  The initiative builds upon efforts by core global health faculty at Boston Children’s Hospital and Boston Medical Center, who work in partnership with global colleagues on research, policy and health service delivery initiatives to further equity in child health. It has three major components for residents with varying degrees of interest in global health:

  • The BCRP Global Health Academy and Scholars Pathway, which includes dedicated mentorship for global health careers and a robust curriculum delivered during individualized resident learning time, for two residents per year (from either Categorical or LEAD tracks).  The Academy is open to all, while the Scholars Pathway is limited to 3 participants per year, and includes flexibility in call-free elective time and funding for global travel and projects in both the junior and senior year.
  • Global health teaching curriculum for all BCRP residents.
  • Global health electives at supervised and partner international sites with pre-departure preparation and post-travel debriefing for interested BCRP residents.
Additionally, residents can apply for a traditional post-residency Global Pediatric Fellowship in Health Services Delivery through Boston Children’s Hospital (described below and in the section on Fellowships).

 

BCRP Global Health Academy

Getting immunized in the Travel Clinic

This Academy was formed in 2022 to support a growing interest in the field of global health. Residents in the Academy are invited to attend all academy sessions, journal clubs and events, as well as receive mentorship from faculty engaged in bi-directional global health partnerships.

The Global Health Academy provides:

  • A community of residents and dedicated faculty with a deep interest in Global Child Health.
  • Mentorship for a global health career.
  • A robust and well-developed curriculum to these residents during Academy afternoons.
  • Additional resident-driven curricula, including resident-led journal clubs, networking events, etc.

Global Health Scholars Pathway

In addition to the Academy, three Categorical or LEAD residents per year with significant career interest in global health are selected from the incoming intern class and join the Global Health Scholars Pathway.

More information about the BCRP Global Health Scholars Pathway application process is available here.

Please contact the BCRP Global Health Scholars Pathway Directors, Christiana Russ and Shela Sridhar with any questions.

In addition to Academy benefits those who are accepted into the Scholars Pathway will have:

  • The opportunity to attend the BCH Global Health Clinical Skills Week in either their junior or senior year.
  • Up to 4 weeks of contiguous call-free field work during the junior year and 6 weeks of contiguous call-free field work during the senior year.
  • A required presentation of a final project on their global health work near the end of their senior year with some dedicated funding for travel and project work for pathway residents.

For those who are not selected for the pathway, but are still interested in a career in global health, an Academy is available. While those in the Academy do not have the guaranteed protected elective time and funding outlined above, electives abroad are still possible and can be discussed upon arrival to BCRP. Our goal is for participants to develop an in-depth understanding of child global health to prepare for leadership roles in clinical care, healthcare delivery and child health advocacy for the underserved globally.

Global Health Teaching Curriculum

The BCRP global health teaching curriculum provides didactic and case-based instruction on the fundamentals of pediatric global health concepts during Academy sessions. Residents in the LEAD Track are also exposed to topics in global health through monthly Research, Advocacy and Policy sessions.

Global Health Clinical Skills Training

BCRP residents are invited to participate in many of the sessions offered for BCH Global Pediatric Fellows during a clinical skills week each year. The course is run by multidisciplinary faculty from across Harvard, and includes didactics, case based teaching, and hands on skills workshops to teach learners practical management of common illnesses and tropical diseases affecting children in low income countries.

BMC International Health Clinics

Boston Medical Center has an International Refugee Clinic, Travel Clinic and Tuberculosis Clinic. Residents have the opportunity to rotate through these clinics during their elective time.

BCH Global Health Program

Boston Children’s Hospital’s Global Health Program includes more than 100 individuals from almost every department in multidisciplinary efforts in 40 countries to improve pediatric care globally. More information and links to recent Annual Reports are available here