Innovations in Global Health Education Presented at MedStar-Georgetown Symposium
Global health education requires interdisciplinary approaches that integrate diverse fields, according to a panel held at the annual MedStar Health-Georgetown University Research and Education Symposium. The panel, “Innovations in Interdisciplinary Global Education,” was part of the Center for Innovation and Leadership in Education (CENTILE) Colloquium, which brings together educators to share innovations and research in health professions education.
Hosted by the Global Health Institute, in collaboration with the School of Health, the School of Nursing, and MedStar Health-Georgetown Graduate Medical Education, panelists shared examples of innovative curricula, hands-on learning experiences, and joint research initiatives.
These initiatives are designed to prepare students for complex global health issues such as climate change, pandemic response, and health equity. Panelists also encouraged attendees to discuss new partnerships and strategies for strengthening interdisciplinary collaboration in global health education at the university.
Experiential Learning at the Undergraduate and Graduate Levels
Jennifer Bouey, Ph.D., M.D., chair of the Department of Global Health, presented on the department’s undergraduate and graduate degrees that integrate immersive, experiential learning.
The Bachelor of Science in Global Health was among the first programs in the United States to offer international health training as a major. Since its launch in 2003, more than 300 students have taken part in the program’s semester-long research practicum. Students pursuing the Master of Science in Global Health complete 14 weeks of international fieldwork in a low- or middle-income country, where they conduct field research or analyze secondary data collected by the host institution. Field sites have included countries such as Brazil, Ghana, and India.
“We want to build health professionals who, in a multidisciplinary world, understand that a clinical intervention that works in one country may not work the same way elsewhere,” said Bouey.
Interdisciplinary Case Challenge
Pamela Biernacki, DNP, assistant dean for innovation and program development at the School of Nursing, introduced INnovations in Solving Problems through Interdisciplinary Research and Education (INSPIRE).
A collaboration between the School of Nursing and the Global Health Institute, INSPIRE is a case-based challenge in which students from different disciplines connect virtually to develop collaborative solutions to global health challenges. The inaugural virtual event in March 2025 focused on wildfires.
Reflecting on her experience with Virtual Interprofessional Education, Biernacki noted that students showed significant growth in communication, teamwork, and understanding of roles across disciplines.
She hopes to build on this success with the next iteration of INSPIRE, scheduled for October 2025, with plans to embed the program into the curricula of global health programs at the university.
Global Health Student Fellows
Joined by Phoebe Ato (M’27), a medical student at the School of Medicine and a spring 2024 global health student fellow, Oliver Johnson, MBBS, Ph.D., managing director at Global Health Institute, spoke about the Global Health Student Fellows program.
The program pairs undergraduate and graduate students with faculty across different schools to design global health projects focused on research, policy, or direct impact. Fellows also participate in monthly meetings with senior faculty and global health leaders to discuss pressing issues and reflect on the shared values guiding their work.
“Being a fellow was what relaunched my career and broadened my perspective on what I can do in such a field as global health,” said Ato, who worked with Associate Professor Neal Horen, Ph.D., on childhood mental health in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Global Health Track within the M.D. Program
Johnson also spoke about a forthcoming global health track within the Doctor of Medicine program, a student-driven initiative currently in development.
“It was medical students who first raised the question: Why doesn’t Georgetown have a global health track, and what would it take to create one?” Johnson said.
The proposed track will feature academic sessions, opportunities for international placements, and a final capstone project. Johnson praised the students’ leadership, noting their review of medical school websites nationwide, a scoping literature review, and a student survey.
The team of students aims to launch the track within the next 18 months.
Global Health Expansion at the School of Nursing
“At our new School of Nursing, we are expanding our global footprint,” said Debra Kosko, DNP, assistant dean for evaluation and outcomes at Georgetown University School of Nursing, who also moderated the panel.
Kosko shared examples of the school’s international initiatives, ranging from providing spiritual care to pilgrims in Lourdes, France, to offering continuing education for nurse-midwives in Zanzibar.
In Kenya’s Kakamega region, data gathered by the Doctor of Nursing Practice students has led to real change, Kosko shared.
The students found transport to nearby health facilities was a key factor contributing to negative outcomes for expectant and postpartum mothers. In response, the region will soon receive a new motorcycle emergency transport system to help community health promoters ensure timely care in rural areas.
Global Health Opportunities for Resident Physicians
Kathy Stolarz, D.O., the associate director of global health at MedStar Health-Georgetown Graduate Medical Education and an assistant professor at the Georgetown University Department of Family Medicine, shared the global health opportunities for residents.
The Global Health Equity Track prepares resident physicians across all specialties to understand the factors shaping global health equity and to collaborate with populations to improve health care outcomes.
Residents engage in interdisciplinary didactics with high-level international speakers, advocacy initiatives such as Capitol Hill Advocacy Day, global health elective rotations, and faculty-guided capstone projects that are presented at the MedStar-Georgetown Research & Education Symposium.
“We have surgeons sitting next to primary care doctors sitting next to emergency medicine docs, learning about all the facets of global health,” Stolarz said.
Residents can complete rotations at several locations, including an academic hospital at Chulalongkorn University in Thailand, a community and academic hospital at CES University in Colombia, a rural community hospital at AIC Litein Hospital in Kenya, and a public health placement at the Mann Deshi Foundation in India.
Most recently, the Global Health Institute partnered with MedStar-Georgetown Graduate Medical Education to launch a new rotation that connects residents with the university’s broader global health initiatives. The Center for Global Health Practice and Impact Eswatini served as the initiative’s pilot site.
Stay Involved
The panel reflects a growing commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration and hands-on learning in preparing the next generation of global health leaders. To receive updates on this work and other global health news from across the university, subscribe to the Global Health Institute newsletter.