Child Family Health International Reviews

My time in Ghana with CFHI was one of the most impactful components of my education in Public Health. This experience allowed me the chance to see the theories I'd learned playing out in a real-world setting, before my very eyes. Not only did I get to see these health challenges and disparities in person, I was also able to participate in efforts to counteract them through community outreach programs.
During my internship, I was fortunate that my schedule overlapped with another NGO in Cape Coast, and I was able to participate in a health clinic day in a rural village. This was one of the highlights of my time in Ghana, as I was able to meet the village elder and get a tour of her village, while she told me about the beauty and difficulty of the lives of those within her community.
I'd recommend CFHI Ghana to anyone looking to gain a better understanding of health and social disparities in a developing country. Entering into this program with an open mind and a willingness to expand your comfort zone will likely result in enjoying this program fully.

As a third-year pediatric resident who has some prior experience abroad, I came to this rotation with specific learning goals. The program and hospital staff were extremely hospitable and allowed me to tailor my experience to meet those objectives. At the same time I was given enough autonomy to see patients mostly independently (with appropriate supervision when needed, of course) and actually be useful instead of just being a burden to them. Housing was clean and more importantly safe, even though I was there alone for most of the month. The local coordinator did an excellent job of orienting me to the city and hospital.

Arrival was smooth and transition from the airport to Cape Coast was very easy. Only thing that was a little difficult to manage was contacting Augustine when coming out of the airport. I happened to use a taxi-driver’s phone number. Other than that, although it was exhausting to journey further after traveling for long hours, I think it was worth just heading to Cape Coast and resting once and for all.

The House
The house was very comfortable and had every amenity that is needed. My only suggestion is regarding the key. I think there is a way to make sure individuals can have a key so as to not have to ask someone to let them in (and thus disrupt their day as well). Solutions could be perhaps a lock box or asking individuals to place a deposit for a key so that in case it is lost, there are funds to replace the locks. The room was comfortable and I felt that after my initial adjustment to the heat, having the fan was adequate in staying comfortable at night. In terms of cooking, the house mother was not around, and this was not a problem for us because we all cooked in turns and helped out, however, I could see it being a bigger problem if individuals who come in the future do not like cooking.

Weekends
I think weekends were well spent. I would encourage people to take initiative to go places if they want to. Maybe a written guide could be provided? As someone who feels comfortable traveling alone, I wouldn’t have minded catching tro-tro’s or taxi’s if I knew where to catch them/directions.

Hospital
Most all people at the hospital were very welcoming. I had a fantastic experience on the internal medicine team and was fortunate to have individuals on the team who helped me a lot. I would have liked an overall orientation of the hospital and how different services worked on the first day, especially for things like the surgical suite, where the canteen is, lectures, etc. Nurses were helpful and so were house officers. I do think the issue of “having a letter” should be addressed early and students should be reminded to keep it at all times. The medical director’s secretary is not always available to start introductions with the chairs and the chairs of departments are not always available readily to give students an assignment. Most of the time the recommendation I was given was to just find a consultant since they are regularly around and join the team. I had some people who never asked for the letter and some people that did – it was kind of uncertain.

The CFHI Ghana experience was truly life changing. We were able to immerse ourselves in the Ghanaian culture while also gaining experience in a hospital setting. The Cape Coast Teaching Hospital allowed great flexibility in department rotations as well as a friendly learning environment. The doctors, nurses, and medical students never hesitated to seize a teaching opportunity. I hope to return in the future because this program inspired me to pursue a career in global medicine!

Our program was centered on understanding the many social determinants of health that are in place in Accra, Ghana. We worked primarily out of the Princess Marie Louise Children's hospital in Accra, working with the various departments to understand the types of patients that they normally see and with what conditions they normally arrive. The doctors and staff at the hospital were very helpful in helping me gain understanding of the types of disease burden the hospital normally sees, which is much different than what you would see working in a U.S. hospital. The program also allowed us to visit and learn from the many public health offices of the government, as well as USAID and the WHO.

This experience really opened my eyes to what was possible in a global health field and inspired me to continue working towards a career in global health. It also allowed me to learn about the people and culture of Ghana, which was really enlightening as well. I would highly recommend the program to anyone who wants to learn more about social determinants and global health!

I am currently a Pediatric resident in the US with an interest in practicing internationally in my future endeavors. I also have been on multiple trips with CFHI, including Oaxaca, Mexico and Córdoba, Argentina. I was the first participant to go to Ghana, a beautiful and welcoming country rich with a variety of languages and cultures. Being immersed in the hospital system as a 4th year medical student provided me unique opportunities to work alongside residents (medical officers) and attending physicians. CFHI and the local staff ensured that I was able to have the experiences I wanted. Specifically, I was able to accompany and administer vitamins on a national immunization campaign day. I also spent time cooking Ghanian food alongside mothers who were rehabilitating their malnourished children, learning how to properly balance meals to heal their children. Overall, this program met my expectations in allowing me to customize this program to my interests.

I had the opportunity to spend a month in Accra November 2016 and I absolutely loved it! As a pediatric resident , it can be difficult to find experiences abroad which fit your particular skill set and continue to allow for a safe learning environment. At Princess Marie Louise Children's Hospital, I was fully integrated into the inpatient and ED schedule with opportunities to also spend time in weekly clinics (sickle cell clinic, asthma clinic, developmental clinics, ect). I worked alongside dedicated physicians, house officers, and staff who all love to teach and were excited to involve me in the care of children without pressure to perform skills that I did not feel comfortable with. CHFI is also a large proponant of ethical standards and practices for global health rotations which is so important. I would highly recommend this program to anyone who is interested in pediatric global health!

In the summer of 2016, I had the opportunity to work at a children's hospital in Accra, Ghana. While working at this hospital, I was able to see surgeries that you would not normally see in America. I was also able to participate in the diagnosis process where medical professionals also took into account a family's living conditions and socioeconomic status. Working in the special clinic (for HIV/AIDS patients but called the special clinic to battle the stigma) allowed me to see how the family dynamics of HIV/AIDS differed from families without HIV/AIDS burden. My group and I were also able to go to a family planning center where they also taught teenagers about sexual health. My favorite rotations in the hospital were surgeries and the physiotherapy department. The physiotherapy department allowed me to work with children who had orthopedic needs, which aligned with my medical interests. Overall, my Ghanaian experience was not only rewarding for future endeavors, but it left an imprint on how I perceived health in the West African region, and it also allowed me to see how much efficiency happens in certain hospitals despite having limited resources. I definitely want to go back to Ghana due to this experience.

My 4-week experience has made me more aware of the regional healthcare challenges faced in coastal Ghana. The hospital rotations were unique and eye opening to the diversity of the hospital, and I appreciated the welcoming personality of the staff and respectful guidance. Staying with a host family allowed me to learn how to cook Ghanaian food, and also to appreciate the dynamic of family life in Ghana. CFHI's directors were professional and organized, and I would highly recommend this program to anyone considering applying in future.

The CFHI Remote Island Medicine program in the Philippines is an amazing way to get hands on knowledge and experience in the global and public health field. Much of the program is focused on clinical exposure, shadowing, and learning about health inequities. For me, I had learned about global and public health in the classroom but never had any real exposure to the field. This program was a way for me to understand the field through valuable experience.

The cool thing about CFHI is that they really are a vehicle for you to connect to the local community. I really wanted a program that was working with local organizations, not just an American organization going into a community and doing “good work”. CFHI makes the connection to the local community, and then the rest is up to the local directors in the Philippines. So when it comes to ethical standards and ethical service, CFHI did a great job.

Another great factor in this program is its connection to small, tight knit communities in the Philippines. While you will spend some time in Manila, the bulk of your time will be on smaller islands and living in small communities with host families. Living within the community was my favorite part of the internship, as I made friends with my host families, with nurses in the Rural Health Unit, and with other local personalities. I'm still in contact with my friends from the Philippines today!

This program will not only expose you to the global health field and medicine, but it will also challenge you to think ethically and critically about community engagement, it will challenge you to become involved in the community, it will challenge you to learn about a new culture and attempt to learn a new language! The community partnerships you make in the Philippines will be long lasting if you put in the effort, as I'm already planning to spend a year there following graduation!