International Opportunities
BCRP Global Child Health Initiative
The goals of the BCRP Global Child Health Initiative are to increase awareness of global health issues; and to provide specialized knowledge, skills and 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 Pathway, which includes dedicated mentorship for global health careers, flexibility in call-free elective time to arrange away rotations in both junior and senior years, funding for global travel and projects, and a robust curriculum delivered during individualized resident learning time, for two residents per year (from either Categorical or UHAT tracks).
- Global health teaching curriculum for all BCRP residents, which is primarily delivered during the PL-1 Keystone blocks.
- Global health electives at supervised and partner international sites with pre-departure preparation and post-travel debriefing for interested BCRP residents.
BCRP Global Health Pathway

In 2019 the BCRP launched a Global Health Pathway. 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 Pathway.
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.
This goal is achieved by:
- Formation of a community of residents and dedicated faculty with a deep interest in Global Child Health.
- Providing each resident with mentorship for a global health career.
- Providing a robust and well-developed curriculum to these residents during Academy afternoons.
- 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.
- Supporting additional resident-driven curricula, including resident-led journal clubs, networking events, etc.
- Those in the scholars pathway will have 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.
- Supporting the resident in the 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 residents in the Academy, but are not accepted into the pathway, all curricular and community building activities are available and the global health leadership will work with you to identify mentorship as well as potential for other sources of funding.
More information about the BCRP Global Health Pathway application process is available here.
Please contact the BCRP Global Health Pathway Director, Christiana Russ, with any questions.
Global Health Teaching Curriculum
The BCRP global health teaching curriculum provides didactic and case-based instruction on the fundamentals of pediatric global health, primarily in educational sessions occur during the advocacy section of the Keystone blocks. Residents in the Urban Health and Advocacy Track are also exposed to topics in global health through monthly Research, Advocacy and Policy sessions.
Global Health Clinical Skills Week
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