Framework for Global Health at Penn
- Introduction
- Framework Elements
- Framework Fellow Obligations
- Application: Due December 9, 2008
- Framework Program: Detailed Description
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Global Health Reading List
- Framework Fellows Page (for participating Fellows only)
Introduction
Global Health Programs introduced a new university-wide program, the Framework for Global Health, in September, 2006. The Framework program is designed to encourage selected Penn professional and graduate students to consider a career in global health. The Framework program enhances, but does not replace any part of, the educational program in which the students are already enrolled. Annually, this program will accept a maximum of 12 graduate and/or professional students from across the University for a one-year cycle of activities. The Framework for Global Health is fully supported by the Provost's Office of the University of Pennsylvania and the Dean's Office of the School of Medicine.
Framework Elements
The one-year cycle of activities consists of three elements:
- A fall semester course, Introduction to Global Health
- A spring activity, global health research project & logistics planning
- A summer research project at an assigned international site
Framework Fellow Obligations
- Full participation in each of the 3 elements listed above
- Submission of appropriate financial forms* to obtain travel advance -- minimum of six weeks before planned departure and maximum of twelve weeks before
- Provision of evaluation form* to mentor for completion and return to Global Health Programs
- Original receipts and boarding passes for all expenses other than miscellaneous per diem
- Completion of Framework experience questionnaire* within one week of return to the USA
- Site Guide* to be prepared while the student is traveling and submitted within one week of return to the USA
- Research report, 5 to 8 pages in length, to be submitted within one month of completion of the international research. There are no rigid guidelines but the report should have the following characteristics:
- it should NOT be for publication
- it should summarize:
- background of the research project
- objectives of the research project
- research plan
- description of data collected
- conclusions/impressions of data/results/analysis at the end of your participation
- Meeting with Finance Administrator for the Framework program to complete Travel Advance Reconciliation (original receipts and boarding passes will be required at this time or the student risks having the unreconciled portion of the travel advance charged to his/her bursar account) within two weeks of return to the USA
- Annual update of email address
- Completion of annual questionnaire designed to measure Framework impact on future studies/career
How to Apply
There is an annual competitive campus-wide application to select 12 Framework Fellows. Eligibility is limited to students who have completed or will have completed PUBH519, Introduction to Global Health and who have not previously been Framework fellows.
The application form is provided in a fillable Word Document. Please review carefully and submit completed form along with other required items, as specified on the form:
Framework Program: Detailed Description
Introduction to Global Health Course: PUBH 519/Fall 2009/Tuesdays 5-7 PM + 1-hour Breakout Session
This course presents an overview of issues in global health from the viewpoint of many different disciplines, with emphasis on economically less developed countries. Subjects include: recent history of global health; international organizations and funders of global health; health care systems and their financing; environmental health and safe water; demography of disease and mortality; measures of disease burden and priorities in health; population projections and control; zoonotic infectious diseases and emerging infectious diseases; AIDS and HIV prevention; vaccine utilization and impact; eradication of poliovirus; chronic diseases; tobacco-associated disease and its control; accidents and their prevention; under and over nutrition and the nutritional transition; social determinants of global health; harm reduction and behavioral modification; women’s reproductive problems and women’s rights; health economics and cost-effective interventions; health manpower and capacity development; ethical relativism, human rights, and cultural norms in a global context. You can view the 2009 syllabus here. It should be noted that this course is a prerequisite for applying for the Framework for Global Health @ Penn.
*Please note that before registering for this course, each student is responsible for ensuring that s/he has the approval of the home school. This is usually accomplished by checking with the home school program coordinator or advisor.
PUBH 519 Course Evaluation: Thank you for completing the course evaluation sent by Global Health Programs. As the evaluation is both mandatory and anonymous, to give you credit for completing this evaluation (and credit for completion of the course), we must receive an email from you. The subject line should be "pubh 519 eval" and the body of the email should contain your name plus the code that was indicated when you completed the evaluation. Click on this email address right now to send us the required information: ghframe@mail.med.upenn.edu
Global Health Research Planning: Spring 2008
This no-credit activity is limited to the students who have been accepted for the research component of the Framework program. Time will be devoted to acquiring necessary research skills and planning and logistics for the summer research project. Students will have the opportunity to meet in groups with their site director/s. Each student group will then be responsible for working together as a team to identify research activities that are acceptable to their preceptor.
Global Health Research Project: Summer 2008
This no-credit activity requires that students participate in a pre-approved research activity during an absolute minimum of eight continuous summer weeks (dates to be assigned by the Framework administrators) in the assigned international location/s. Upon completion of their research project, each student is required to prepare a non-publishable report that summarizes the background, the research question, the plan of work, the data collected, and the conclusions derived. These reports are due within one month of completion of the summer project.
- Project Sites: The project sites are subject to change before definitive assignments are made. In the summer of 2009, the research sites are likely to be in India and Malawi. Please see below for brief descriptions and, when available, Framework Fellow reports, for all Framework Projects, since the inception of the program. Please note that the Chile project will not be available in 2008 and that the India project is new this year. Ghana and Malawi are continuing sites.
- Chile (not available)
- Framework Fellow Reports: 2007
- Ghana (not available)
- Framework Fellow Reports: 2007
- India (new in 2008)
- Framework Fellow Reports: 2008
- Malawi
- Project Description
- Site Guide for Mchinji by Kate Brizzi
- Site Guide for MDICP by Keshet Ronen and Amanda Tuffli
- Framework Fellow Reports: 2008, 2007
- Financial Information: The Framework program will provide each participating student with a travel advance designed to cover transportation to and from the principal research site, living expenses at the international field site, travel medicine consultation, and medical prophylaxis. When students budget appropriately, the travel award is sufficient to cover the expenses described above. Please note that this award is not designed to cover living expenses outside of the international research site.
*These forms and all required instructions will be provided on the Framework Fellows Page
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: If a student is selected for a research site where they have personal connections (e.g. family/friends who can house them in India), does this have an impact on the travel grant?
A: Please consult the Global Health Programs office about such a contingency.
Q: Will the student be required to perform all of the research at the international site? Sites may lack Internet and library resources that are critical for completing the project.
A: The student is expected to spend a minimum of eight full weeks at the international site. Additional library and Internet research can be completed upon the student’s return. Each student is required to submit a report of their research project within one month of completion of the onsite research project.
Q: Will the Penn mentor be onsite for the duration of the field portion of the global health research project?
A: Once sites and mentors are selected, students can consult their project mentor about specific plans.
Q: Will the Framework program be providing a language and/or cultural orientation?
A: As this program is designed for graduate and professional students, it is anticipated that students will prepare independently, utilizing internet and other resources. Specifically:
- students are required to have some prior background in biomedical research, either as formal course work during their graduate or professional training, or as participants in prior research activities. We ask for competence in formulation of research problems; design of research study; collection of data; analysis of results; understanding of the use of statistical tests of significance; and how to draw appropriate conclusions from the results.
- Students are required to take a set of training modules in the Responsible Conduct of Research including instruction in human subject research, requirements for IRB review and approval, and the appropriate design and administration of informed consent, including subjects who are not literate. (The complete set of RCR requirements will be provided)
- Students are provided with information regarding practical aspects of international travel and work in a developing country. This includes contact arrangements (international phones and email), visas, travel arrangements, financial arrangements and reimbursements, health insurance, emergency medical evacuation plans, medical planning for vaccines, prophylaxis for diseases such as malaria, and drugs for diarrhea and other potential acute illnesses. Much of this information is on the Global Health Programs website.
- In addition, students are required to familiarize themselves with the history and culture of the country to which they are going. Students also meet several times with their mentor to hear about the ongoing research program and to discuss possible projects to be undertaken. A few helpful resources are listed:
- Global Health Programs Website: Travel Page: http://www.med.upenn.edu/globalhealth/travel.shtml
- Global Health Programs Website: Link Page – Information Resources (CDC Travel Info and World Factbook are particularly recommended): http://www.med.upenn.edu/globalhealth/links.shtml#info
Global Health Reading List
There are many texts on global health, international health, or public health. The following reading list was selected by the Penn faculty as best suited to the goals and audience for our course, Introduction to Global Health.
Last updated: September 2, 2009
