UVM medical student David Leon '18 takes vital signs of a patient during a Global Health Program elective in the Dominican Republic. (Courtesy photo)

In honor of World Health Day, the University of Vermont College of Medicine hosted nine distinguished international guests from Russia, Dominican Republic, Vietnam and Uganda on Monday, April 4 and Tuesday, April 5, 2016 for a “Celebration of Global Health Day” featuring a broad range of activities.

Designed to showcase the global health education, scholarship, and service partnerships accomplished through the Global Health Program at Western Connecticut Health Network and UVM, the celebration highlights included a Dean’s Distinguished Lecture on Global Health delivered by Alexey Sozinov, M.D., Ph.D., D.Sc., of Kazan, Russia, a special Family Medicine Grand Rounds and Community Medical School presentation by Uganda’s Robert Kalyesubula, M.D., and a photography exhibit and academic poster session showcasing the work of medical students, nursing students and residents. View photos from the exhibit on our Facebook page.

International guests included Sozinov, who serves as rector of Russia’s Kazan State Medical University, and his colleagues Marat Mukhamedyarov, M.D., Ph.D., head of international affairs, and Arina Ziganshina, M.D., coordinator of global health; Marcos Nunez, M.D., medical school dean, and Loraine Amell, Ph.D., dean of international affairs, from Universidad Iberomaericana (UNIBE), and Jomar Florenzan, M.D., global health site director, of the Dominican Republic; Phuong Kim Huynh, M.D., chair of the International Office at Cho Ray Hospital in Vietnam; and Kalyesubula, president and founder, and Estherloy Katali, coordinator, Global Health Partnership, of ACCESS, Uganda.

Established in 2012, the Global Health Program is directed by Majid Sadigh, M.D., an infectious disease specialist at Danbury Hospital in Connecticut and associate professor of medicine at UVM. The program provides a variety of educational and service opportunities for medical and health sciences students, residents, physicians, and health care professionals to become involved in building international alliances, supporting for healthcare education, and providing patient care where it is needed most. With each elective rotation experience, participants enhance their cultural competence as well as expand their ability to care for diverse patient populations with a broad range of needs. To date, 42 UVM medical students, 8 UVM College of Medicine faculty members and 10 UVM Medical Center residents have participated in the program.

Following the April 4-5 celebration, the international partners, along with program staff, faculty and medical students, will be attending the 2016 Annual CUGH Global Health Conference in San Francisco, Calif. UVM student and faculty posters that will be presented at the meeting include:

• “Creation, Implementation and Impact of an Evidence Based Medicine Curriculum in Kazan, Russia” by Pierre Galea ’17, Bryce Bludevich ’17 et al.
• “Peer Mentorship and Early Exposure: A Novel Approach to the Global Health Elective” by Stefan Wheat ’18, Richard Mendez ’18, Ruth Musselman, M.D. et al.
• “An Innovative Approach to Rural Antenantal Care: A Report of a Mobile Clinic Network in Northern Tanzania” by Merima Ruhotina ’16, Anne Dougherty, M.D.’09, Jenna Flanagan, M.D., E. Lwegalulila et al.
• “A Survey of Pre-Departure Training Provided to U.S. Medical Students Participating in Global Health Electives” by Taylor Goller ’17, Alexandra Miller ’18, Molly Moore, M.D., Anne Dougherty, M.D.’09

Visit the UVM College of Medicine Global Health website.