Program Reviews

I never thought virtual experience can be this enriching until I participated in the internship program by CFHI. They made sure to make this virtual space the most engaging and interacting one. Everything starting from the correspondence, timely response and process of selection is highly appreciable. The program, discussions and content gave me Public and Global Health perspectives from a lens I had never imagined. This experience had definitely added value to my professional and academic journey by allowing me to explore different health care systems in an innovative manner. I can't thank them enough for the opportunity and the hard work they do in making this experience valuable for students.

I was fortunate to be a part of the CFHI program in Argentina. This program was an immersive experience that provided me with invaluable information about Global Healthcare and specifically the culture and practices of medicine in Argentina. Going into the program, I knew I was going to be placed in hospitals. However, I was unaware of just how supportive the CFHI staff was going to be, they truly made my experience the best it could possibly have been. CFHI provided incredible hosts families that made me feel at home and welcome in my month spent across the world. They also talked closely with the coordinators in the hospital to make sure each student was taken care of based on their individual interests. The program also expanded farther than just the medicine present in Argentinian hospitals, providing us students with cultural immersion classes covering topics such as tango, wine and history. These additions made the experience more holistic and thus it was able to contribute to me as a person and not solely just as a future healthcare provider. In addition, I would like to mention the quality of the staff that CFHI has employed. I was blessed with three amazing program directors (Carlos, Charly and Agustín) who served as helpful advisors, fierce advocates, strong support systems and wonderful friends. The staff was available at all hours and willing to assist in any issues that appeared during the trip. CFHI and their staff are what made the experience one that I will cherish for the rest of my life and I cannot put into words just how grateful I am for this organization.

My experience with the virtual CFHI Ghana program was a memorable one and a great learning opportunity. Not only did I learn about the Ghanian culture and traditions such as the many staple foods. I learn't about the different social factors that may influence the decisions and choices of people and as patients. This also helped me to understand how I would need to approach patients in similar settings. Through the program we discussed and analysed clinical case scenarios, this has contributed to my preparation for my internship once I graduate from medical school. This program has been very enlightening and through it I have also met people from different countries and learned about the healthcare practices in their respective countries. I have enjoyed being a part of the CFHI program and I would recommend this opportunity, I learned about many different aspects beyond the healthcare system and I will forever be grateful for this opportunity.

My name is Michaela Forouzan and I was very fortunate to be a part of the April Virtual Program focusing on the nation of India. Throughout this program, I have learned from a series of health and global professionals about illnesses throughout India. At the end of the session, I was able to apply all my knowledge through the creation of a presentation that I believed to medical professionals. It was absolutely amazing to receive such great feedback and inspiration from these medical professionals, and apply my knowledge to the future of global health.

As a young aspiring African intern of the CFHI Global Health Comparative Virtual Internship, and a national of a Low Resource Country (Burundi), I would highly recommend the program to more college graduates in the relevant fields of public health as well as any entry-level professionals to participate in the virtual internship with the CFHI to gain ground in the ins-and-outs of how international NGOs promote health for all and intervene holistically in sometimes-familiar settings as the ones I come from; while gaining cultural exposure and learning to team work with like-minded global health professionals

The internship taught me that sometimes less is better. As a prospective global health professional born and raised in Africa but educated at a medical college outside the continent, I had to experience major incongruities between the theoretical framework of medicine and the efforts needed to implement health equity in hospital settings and community health services. To understand how this gap applies less extensively in the social and economic settings of African LMICs, I had to surmise how the fine line between the two fields affect health delivery and outcomes, and how I can participate in bettering the healthcare systems of my continent in the near future.

Due to the short-bits format of the teachings I received during Dr. Charles Nwobu’s online lectures in Ghana, Dr. Hema Pandey from India, as well as the Director’s Seminars and multinational Global Health Roundtables, I was able to capture the essence of cultural effectiveness and adaptability as the bases of successful collaborative efforts to bring affordable and accessible healthcare for all. Additionally, as an intern under the Outpatient & Community Health Services Department of Village Health Works—an international NGO based in New York and Burundi, I am now using the knowledge I acquired to help build self-reliant community health systems in Kigutu, one of the most remote regions of the country.

I am grateful to have been awarded the Thomas Hall Scholars Program scholarship for the virtual internship and hope to see more young aspiring global health professionals enroll in the different programs CFHI has to offer.

Choosing to participate in this program is easily one of the best decisions I made this year. I have always wanted to participate in the internship program without success so I was very excited when I was awarded the Susan Hershey Scholarship for this program. The program director did a great job of curating Public Health classes, virtual facility tours, and even Hindi language classes. Even though it was virtual, I felt like I was really in India learning about the public health system and some of the successful interventions. I had the privilege of interacting with some of the NGO managers and getting their insight on solving their public health challenges. I also learned about cultural adaptability and found the global health lectures very informative. This experience was very enlightening and rewarding. I look forward to sharing my learnings and experiences with my colleagues.

In my academic career, the most meaningful experience for me was the Virtual Global & Public Health Internship program I completed in Ghana. This internship gave me back my motivation for pursuing medicine and it opened up new interests for me. I now for sure want to get a Masters in Public Health and I want a global health certificate or fellowship. This internship was very eye-opening because Ghana’s healthcare system, although is a different sphere than America’s, has many instances where it overlaps with the American system. The social determinants that affect the health of Americans, also play a crucial role in the health of Ghana’s people. Working on case studies with the wonderful physician who was coordinating our program was my favorite part of this entire experience, because it helped me expand my knowledge and it made me feel as if I am an actual doctor working on initiatives for the community. Although this experience was virtual, I am greatly hoping I could go in person one day (possibly when I am in medical school or doing my masters program). Learning about the health of other countries has always been my goal ever since learning about Doctors Without Borders. This internship has also taught me to push myself into becoming an actual advocate for health especially in marginalized communities, because those with heartbreaking stories are those suffering from being underserved and unheard. The entirety of Child Family Health International is built on the fundamentals of social responsibility, service-learning, empowerment, and education. Truly a wonderful experience that I will always recommend to others!

It has been such a privilege being awarded CFHI and AMSA’s Global Health Scholarship to participate in the Virtual Global Health Comparative. The weekly Director Seminars and Roundtables (and just being amongst some of the world’s global health leaders) were inspiring examples of how I can contribute my academic background and experience in the field. Dr. Charles Nwobu’s mentorship provided such invaluable insight not only into Ghana, but the universal applicability of healthcare challenges to other cultures and populations. And lastly, discussions with fellow interns ultimately gave me hope. It is comforting to know that a growing number of the incoming generation of global health professionals and medical practitioners are equipped with the cultural competence and intersectional understanding necessary to tackle the world’s numerous crises. I have always wanted to work with CFHI due to their admirable sustainable model and infrastructure, and I look forward to participating in programs in the future!

The CFHI organization is fantastic! I was drawn to them during a Conference when I visited their booth and met the Director. I enjoyed my experience in the Global Health Comparative Virtual Internship in Ecuador! From the virtual tours to the cooking session to Spanish classes, it felt like I was indeed there. The coordinators organized it well, and the teachers were genuinely interested in the students. There was another aspect with interactive modules focused on developing Cross-Cultural Effectiveness & Adaptability, which helped me self-reflect and build on my cultural competency skills. Then there were the discussions with CFHI leaders from different countries, which was very informative. For each public health challenge, we would learn about the obstacles in each country, how they impact the people, and reflect on our roles as future leaders. We also had interactive seminars which challenged our thought process and preconceived notions about Global Health, culture, and health. This program was beneficial and aligned with my goals!

CFHI's intern experience was perfect for me, and I actively recommend it to everyone I meet. I wanted an internship that I could do online because of my job and uncertainty with the pandemic, and this aspect met my expectations well. I learned so much in the month before my job started full time, and it really opened my eyes to the jobs in the field of Global Health. This helped me direct my career path in a very unique way. Logistically, the instructors offered flexibility and grace, and the physician in charge of directing my cohort and teaching us about Ghana was living there at the time, so we learned from someone in the field, rather than someone talking about their time in the country you choose. CFHI also does a fantastic job of cultural respect, humility, and making sure that their practices are sustainable long term. I am so thankful for this program and the opportunities it afforded me.