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 and Minor Global Health 2023 programs could be organized as we originally developed them as of August 2022.

Also for the Minor Global Health 2024 we expect that international travel and exchanges will be possible in September & October 2024.

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 2024 edition of our Minor Global Health 120 students can participate and you choose from 5 continents, 20 countries and 50 institutes:

Learning Goals

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

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:

Organization

The program consists of several parts:



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:

For the compulsory assignment students can choose to:

Education materials

Compulsory literature:

And:

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

Minimum total number of students that can participate: 40

Examination

The final mark will consist of:

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.