Global Medicine in a Changing Educational World

PI: William Stauffer, MD, MSPH, FASTMH

Overview: For nearly two decades, the Global Medicine Program and Pathway in the Department of Medicine has been recognized for the development of educational content focused on global health, epidemiology, surveillance, disaster preparedness, and outbreak response. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and resultant challenges to educational structure, we are designing a new, virtual course focused on global health in the face of such challenges as the COVID-19 pandemic, changes in human mobility, violations of human rights and principles of equity, emerging infections and the human/animal interface, and eradication of neglected diseases worldwide. The course will include 2-4 hours of content weekdays over the month of May, 2020. Content will include new lectures from leaders in global health and disaster response, interactive clinical case discussions, interpretation of current events through a global health lens, and reflective activities. All content will be delivered electronically to learners, including UMN medical students, residents and other health professional trainees, and outside participants including US government health-career trainees, United Nations Agency for Migration physicians, and practicing health professionals in the US and other countries. Distance-compatible networking opportunities will be scheduled for career development purposes. Developing, curating, and optimizing content delivery virtually requires intensive effort on behalf of our staff. Captured material will be added to the evergreen online medical educational suite already offered by Global Medicine. Funding is requested to assist with staff salary related to this new effort. We expect the developed curriculum to remain relevant and provide useful content for future course iterations. 

Budget: $9,651

This project is supported by the UMN COVID-19 Medical Education Innovation Grants, which support full-time faculty (educators, investigators or clinical) or P&A educators at the University of Minnesota Medical School to develop education (basic science or clinical) and simulation projects related to COVID-19, more general pandemic-related knowledge and skills, or professional development activities that would be possible during this time of shelter at home.