Global Health Year-out Program
The Center for Global Health (CGH) is pleased to announce the launch of a year-out program in global health targeted to Penn medical students. The primary program goal is to foster career development of students who intend to pursue careers that incorporate global health as a scholarly focus. Awards are competitively-based, and a stipend and travel expenses are provided to the student. Year-out students will work on research projects mentored by CGH Scholar faculty. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year.
This document provides Penn faculty with information about the Global Health Year-Out Program (GH-YoP) requirements, processes, and expectations, including application instructions.
For additional questions please contact Maria Cortese Hering, Assistant Director, Global Health Training.
The Center for Global Health (CGH) provides several short-term vehicles to support medical students in their efforts gain awareness of and experience in global health. While these opportunities provide exposure to global health challenges, careers dedicated to global health require acquisition of more in depth skills – and that is the intent of the Global Health Year-Out Program (GH-YoP).
The central program activity encompasses an in-depth research project in global health conducted under the mentorship of a CGH Penn Faculty Scholar. Projects will be research intensive and may span academic pursuits inclusive of implementation science, epidemiology, health outcomes, translational and biomedical research. All CGH Scholar faculty are invited to participate this program. Penn faculty who are not yet CGH Scholars may apply to be Scholars simultaneous with the GH-YoP project review.
Students must have completed the core clinical clerkship to participate (i.e., MS3-4). Students will commit to a 12 month program, at minimum 9 months must be conducted at the away global site. Students will also conduct formal course work in global health (curated based on their interests), and may couple the GH-YoP to completion of a Masters or PhD degree at Penn.
Given limited funding, GH-YoP awards are competitive – successful candidates will have displayed a passion for global health as evidenced by prior activities, have developed a mentored-research plan of important potential impact in concert with the Penn faculty Scholar, and display evidence of career motivation and impact through a formal interview process.
Deadline for submissions is rolling. Priority is given to earlier applications. These applications are open to CGH Scholar Faculty. Interested faculty who are not CGH Scholars may apply to be a Scholar simultaneous with the GH-YoP application. Become a CGH Scholar
- Projects should be research intensive and based primarily in a global location (e.g., international or US-Indian Health Service sites).
- The research project should be supported by an extra-mural award that spans the intended GH-YoP timeframe. Junior faculty may be eligible to use start-up funding on approval.
- Faculty must either be present at the global site for full project duration or, if not, have a qualified local project co-PI to serve as the on-site mentor in gap periods.
- As the program criteria differ, faculty already mentoring a short-term global health research student are required to submit a new GH-YoP request.
- Students will receive a living stipend and travel expenses; mentors are expected to provide all other necessary research components.
- Participating faculty must commit to mentorship of students both during the program and longitudinally.
- GH-YoP applications must engage student for 12 months, with no less than 9 months at away global site.
- Faculty should express their interest through our faculty interest portal.
- CGH will review the GH-YoP application and share it with the student applicants.
- Students can apply to available projects.
- The CGH will collect the student applications for each position and match students with research projects based on the priority of both the faculty and student. Keep in mind that the number of students who intend to do a Year-Out is relatively low so a project may not receive an application.
- Faculty and their teams will review the student applications sent by CGH. Faculty may request additional information as may be appropriate, e.g., writing samples.
- Faculty will then meet with prospective students to develop and submit a detailed (3 page) year-out research plan.
- CGH leadership will review and make final award selections.
- Students will be given a finite amount of time to accept their placement; those not accepting or responding will forfeit their selection including grant funding. Slots freed up in this selection process may be offered to runners-up on the selection lists. Students who accept their placements will be provided a grant by the CGH.
- CGH will facilitate pre-departure trainings, cross-cultural simulation, as applicable.