Twelve tips for undertaking reflexive global health experiences in medicine

Abstract

Background: While interest and opportunities for global health experiences (GHE) continue to grow, the preparation of students and health professionals alike to engage in these GHEs remains limited.

Aims: This article provides tips for reflexivity prior to undertaking a GHE and suggests ways to debrief the experience in order to ensure that trainees and professionals that engage in GHEs can both help their intended communities and also get the most out of the experience.

Methods: The authors conducted a scoping review using Medline, PubMed and Google scholar using searching the terms: global health, global health experience, global health research, and international medical elective. We supplemented this search with our own experiences working with international partners.

Conclusions: GHEs should be undertaken with reflexivity prior to, during and subsequent to the experience in order to ensure that all collaborators in the partnership meet their intended goals.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.

Notes on contributors

Rabia Khan is a PhD student at the Institute of Medical Sciences at the University of Toronto. She is in the Collaborative PhD Program in Global Health at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health and is a fellow of at the Wilson Center for Research in Education.

Dr. Brian D. Hodges is a Professor in the Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Education (OISE/UT) at the University of Toronto, the Richard and Elizabeth Currie Chair in Health Professions Education Research at the Wilson Centre for Research in Education and Vice President, Education at the University Health Network. He leads the “AMS Phoenix Project: A Call to Caring”, an initiative to rebalance the technical and compassionate dimensions of health care.

Dr. Maria Athina (Tina) Martimianakis, PhD, is the Director of Medical Education Scholarship and an Education Researcher in the Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto. She is a Scientist and the Strategic Lead, International for the Wilson Centre.

Dr. Donald Cole, FRCP(C), is a Professor of Public Health and Preventive Medicine at the University of Toronto's Dalla Lana School of Public Health. He was formerly head of the Global Health Division and director of the Collaborative PhD Program in Global Health.