Students Return from International Health Semester Abroad

Each year, the Department of International Health sends seniors abroad for a four-month international health practical experience during the fall semester.

Students—who earn 12 credits for their work—returned to campus in January and presented their findings at two different sessions in St. Mary’s Hall, one focusing on sites in Australia and the other Ghana.

While abroad, students work within a foreign health system, engage issues of providing culturally sensitive health services or promotion within an indigenous setting, and undertake empirical field research on key public health problems.

For example, one group of students in western Australia developed and launched an exercise and nutritional program to help combat issues of obesity and diabetes within the community. A group of students in Queensland, Australia analyzed social determinants of health for indigenous people. And students in Ghana worked on on empirical studies on the low utilization of a new malaria treatment or barriers to sustain community-based health services in the north of the country.

During the internship abroad, students write a substantive empirical research paper and a shorter summary paper on a topic related to the provision of health care in their host country. They also, in collaboration with their local preceptors and faculty supervisor, maintain a daily internship log of their activities.

Upon returning, students are required to report about their experience to faculty and fellow students.