Program Reviews

My global health study abroad program consisted of about 2 months in Oaxaca city, Mexico and two weeks in Puerto Escondido. Not only did I learn more about health problems that affect the Mexican population but also how to spread prevention awareness. I had the opportunity to shadow doctors in clinics and a hospital and was exposed to the different obstacles that many of these clinics faced. Most of the clinics that I had visited had a limited amount of resources available and doctors wrote their clinic stories using typewriters. In Puerto Escondido our main goal was to learn about public health and how to incorporate it into the community. We were given the opportunity to give presentations to elementary school classes on sexual education and Vector-related illnesses. All of the children that we presented to, all showed the desire to learn more. Besides the academic part of the study abroad program, the culture in Oaxaca, Mexico is truly one of a kind. I was exposed to calendas (parades), dia de los muertos celebrations, and the beautiful beaches. Oaxacans are extremely respectful and easygoing, always greeting you when you walk by or eating. Overall, this was an amazing experience and I am very thankful that I was able to experience it.

This summer, I had the opportunity to participate in a global health fellowship as an HBCU Leader in Global Health. Thank you Child Family Health International for this wonderful, life-changing opportunity to experience medicine in Accra, Ghana! During my 4 weeks here, I was able to shadow physicians in various departments, observe surgeries, observe vaginal deliveries & c-section births, and learn about preventative health and malnutrition management.
I had an amazing time exploring Accra and shadowing at Princess Marie Louise Children's Hospital and Jamestown Maternity Hospital. I am so grateful to combine my love for medicine with my love for travel! Exploring global health through a service-based lens has given me an invaluable perspective on advocacy and health equity before officially starting my medical school journey.

My CFHI experience in Accra, Ghana was extremely invaluable. I had the unique opportunity to serve in a local hospital where I learned about child and maternal health. Each week I rotated through a different sector of the hospital: Week 1 was the emergency room, week two was malnutrition, week 3 was community health/family planning and for the last week I was in the wards/NICU. I appreciated learning about healthcare in Ghana directly from health care providers. I was excited to practice physical exams and interview patients since these are skills I have acquired in my first year of medical school. The malnutrition unit was particularly interesting to me because I haven't had much exposure to working with dieticians. Malnutrition is a massive issue in Ghana, and I learned ways in which the dieticians plan to help their patients recover (utilizing a 4-step re-feeding plan) and how they work with the physicians in other units (ex. OPD or the ED) to ensure the best care for these patients.
Culturally, I enjoyed trying different foods such as red red, kenkey and kelewele. As the daughter of Nigerian immigrants, many of these foods reminded me of home as there were similarities between the dishes. Interacting with locals and admiring the art pieces and learning to play the drums at the art center was one of my many highlights. I really appreciate the sense of community I felt in Accra. I appreciated the opportunity to live with other students from different states and countries while learning about Ghana when we went out into the community each day. I will never forget this transformative experience as it strengthened my desire to continue to pursue Global Health in my future career.

My 4 week program in Ghana with child family health international by far the best opportunity I’ve come across. During this time, I was able to shadow healthcare providers at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital allowing me to see first hand healthcare disparities and challenges the communities are being faced with. My rotations took place in the Pediatric & NICU ward which only grew my passion for wanting to work with children and loving mothers. Also, I had a chance to participate on outreach days with Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana whom goals was to educate the community on sexual rights and women’s reproductive health.

During leisure time , I took the opportunity to explore the Ghanaian community and see the beautiful landmarks and buildings. Truly immersing myself in the culture. Our coordinator made sure we experienced Ghanaian food each night by cooking us diner.

“Let The World Change You“ is the slogan of Child Family Health International and that’s exactly what I did during my time of the global health in Ghana program. Becoming a sponge and soaking up the experience to what i was surrounded with is the best thing I could’ve done.

I am beyond grateful for this experience that was both personal and professional. I can’t wait to continue to work toward my career of becoming a physician assistant!

I participated in Global Health in The Philippines Program. I traveled to Manila, Philippines, for one week and then was assigned to the remote island part of the program for three weeks. I was sent to a small island called Tingloy which had a population of 19,000 and was in the Batangas Province of Luzon. The first week when I was in Manila, the group I was traveling with and I were introduced to the rich culture of this country. We visited tourist spots like Rizal Park, the National Museum of the Philippines, and Intramuros. This helped introduce and contextualize what we would learn about the Philippine healthcare system. Then we had an authentic Philippine dinner and saw the national dance called the Tinkling.
Furthermore, we were introduced to the disparities of Manila as we went to a part of the city that is very underdeveloped. This opened our eyes to the inequity within Manila. The next day we went to Chinatown, and this Chinatown is considered one of the oldest Chinatowns in the world; we got to try some pretty good frog legs, and then we were taken to an area of Manila called Quiapo and visited the local street markets in vendors.

Then we were taken to a church called the minor basilica of the Black Nazarene, and this is where we learned about how Catholicism and religion play a significant role in how some policies, such as reproductive health and rights, are controlled within this country. We were also sent home later that night to watch a documentary called sicko which is about the American healthcare system, and this was going to be used to compare to what we learned about the Philippine healthcare system as we sat through six hours of lecture on the current state of the Philippine health care system. The Philippine healthcare system, in general, is run by the Department of Health, and it very much tries to veer away from an American privatized healthcare system. However, due to the existence of public and private health care, there is a vast disparity between the two, and about a little less than half of the Filipino population pays out of pocket for their medical treatment because the universal national healthcare insurance called Philhealth does not fully cover or provide basic needs. The next day we went to San Juan and Ternate Cavite; we visited the Barangay Health Station, which was pretty underfunded and had limited resources. We also got to watch a baby receive its immunizations. Then after we sat in on a lecture with medical interns who were training volunteer barangay health workers, it was exciting as many of these health workers themselves were volunteers, and two had minimal knowledge of medical-based things such as how to properly track someone's height, how to properly weigh a child, how to calculate BMI.

However, they are essential for the Philippine healthcare system as many people within the town will go to these volunteers when they are sick and will only visit the primary healthcare center if there are concerns that do not alleviate or go away. These volunteers are the front-line workers of the structure of the primary health care system. We took some photos with them, which was fun, and they did get to practice all these skills with us. Then we headed to Ternate, Cavite, where we saw the Municipal Health Officer, Dr. Gina. She showed us her facility, which was more underfunded than San Juan. However, a dentist did exist but mainly only for extractions. She also talked about how the DOH does not pay her enough and that she's not provided enough money to deal with Ternate's number one program that they have in place, which is the drug rehabilitation program. The next day, we visited the Philippines General Hospital, the largest public hospital in Manila and the country.
As I walked through the facility, it was very crowded, and our local preceptors told us that some people might be sitting there for two to three days to see a doctor. However, they did have a wide range of specialties, and we got to see the ER. It was interesting to see that people were sprawled out in the lobby in beds and that medical interns, so medical students that had just graduated, were doing the job of doctors as there was not enough staff to be spread. They were allowed full diagnosing abilities also. Then we visited BCG, one of the wealthiest parts of Manila, and we got to see St. Luke's Hospital, a private hospital. It was a night and day change as St. Luke's looked like an upscale mall that had restaurants and cafes in very fancy accommodations to come with it. Many upper-class business people and foreigners in general visit St. Luke's. This showed the difference between what money could get you in Manila and the disparities between public and private healthcare. Some experience I had in Manila was I went to Robinsons Mall, which is this massive mall within Eremite. I could get everything there, and I tried Jollibee, the national fast-food chain of the Philippines. I liked it because it was chicken and rice.

I also got to ride in a Jeepney, an old war machine/tank turned into a bus-looking thing, you pay for seven kilometers, and they're very hard to navigate, but they were still fun. We also visited a souvenir shop, and there were these cute fish wallets. Also, the night we stayed at BCG, our local preceptors got dinner with us, and we went to a fun karaoke room. I wish they would have them in the US. On the last day of Manila, we just had a lecture about a video that explained how a small child died. We had to analyze the video and develop a web chain to explain what happened. The point of the lecture was to see that public health plays a huge role in someone's well-being and that a lot of outside environmental factors affected the death of this child, and it wasn't just the disease that took her. They wanted us to use this perspective when we were sent to the remote islands as necessary, as many outside factors affect the type of healthcare these populations receive. We got in a car and traveled to Talaga port; we would take a 35-to-40-minute ferry to Tingloy. There we got on a trike, the only mode of transportation on the island except for walking or taking an ATV. Then we went to the rural health unit and met Doc Patt, which was funny because everybody on the island knew who doc pat was, so we just had to say that name, and they knew where to send us. We were the second batch of students on Tingloy, so many of the locals were not used to having foreigners. The homestay we stayed at was excellent, and our host mom Ate Czen was lovely and kind; she introduced us to her kids and cousins, and the word about us on the island spread very quickly. The rural health unit in Tingloy is nice and set up like a hospital due to the last mayor wanting to make this RHU a hospital. However, when the new mayor came in, plans changed, and the local doctor taught us the importance of relationships and how maintaining these good relationships will get you the resources you need when it is not provided initially. We learned that the two main programs on Tingloy are TB and immunizations. We also got to learn the ins and outs of how the Tingloy RHU has explicitly set up its staff.

We also visited Masasa Beach, which is a beautiful beach. We also visited the blue lagoon, walked around town, and got invited to a couple of enjoyable celebrations, such as a fiesta hosted by the mayor. Many children on the island like to play Latto which is a game with these two balls that clink next to each other, and sometimes it gets a bit aggravating. However, it was still a wonderful toy and an experience to learn about. They serenaded us when we walked down the streets, which was pretty funny. Every month they go out into the branches or have specific days for certain barangays to come and get their children vaccinated. The parents are handed a vaccination book indicating which vaccine their child is supposed to get at what age and always bring them in their blue. The local doctor said he doesn't see an issue with many against vaccinations, as many people want their children to be vaccinated. We watched many of these vaccination days, and I did notice that they explained this in Manila. Also, families always come in with a companion; if one family member has to leave, another family member comes to replace so that the patient's not alone. I also noticed that HIPAA itself is very wonky, as many patients sit beside each other; the intake form is a desk with two chairs, so patients sit across from each other and hear the nurses talking about their intake information.

Lastly, the nurses always work in pairs of two, so one fills out the forms because they are handwritten and filed while the other nurse takes the vitals. I participated in a blood drive and got to shadow and see many other things, this is a once in a lifetime trip, and I would recommend it as I have learned so much in the past month, and it was worth the 30 hours of travel back home, lol. If you are considering it, this is a great program, and CFHI does a great job with cultural competency and integration with local preceptors. I made good friends with them, and they said we should catch up and meet when we visit them.

My experience with CFHI was an amazing opportunity that I will never forget. I have recently graduated with my undergraduate degree, and I am currently working on my Master of Public Health with the focus of global health. When looking at CFHI, I thought that it would provide me a great experience inside of different culture and their healthcare system. The cite I chose to further my global health knowledge, was Córdoba, Argentina. I spent four weeks shadowing in the local hospital and building my knowledge of the Spanish language. This experience was one of the first times that I have been abroad and really was immersed into the medical field. Each day within my clinicals was something new and interesting to learn. I was able to ask so many questions and develop a greater understanding of the different medical specialties. The program allowed me to experience many specialties, and within this, I was able to learn more about myself and possibilities of what I may want to study in the future. All the hospital staff was welcoming and even with the slight language barrier, they always wanted to ensure my understanding. I was able to create connections and learn more about the culture and how the public health system is operating within Argentina. Once my hospital visit was finished, I then spent my time furthering my Spanish speaking skills. Coming into the program, I did not know much Spanish at all. Over the course of my time spent in Argentina by being surrounded by the language and the help of my daily classes, I was able to understand and speak at a basic conversational level. Another great aspect of the program was being able to stay with my host family. They were welcoming as soon as I arrived and wanted to show me around the city. They always wanted to make sure that I was comfortable and cooked amazing dinners that were traditional to Argentina. Moreover, I was able to spend time with my host sister and really learn more about the culture. It was like spending time with the little sister that I never had. All in all, this experience was more than what I expected and would not change any part of it. Throughout it all, I learned so much about myself and was able to further my knowledge within global health. In my eyes, I see this program as being a way for people to see a different side of the medical field within a different culture. Along with that, you learn so much about who you are as a person being fully immersed into a different culture. The experience is great as it is, but you get more out of it by putting yourself out there and creating connections and being willing to step out of your comfort zone. The program pushed me out of my comfort zone to help me develop key communication skills and confidence in who I am as a person and who I want to become. Overall, I would truly recommend completing a program through CFHI as it is an experience that will change your life. When you go to a different country you expect to learn so much about the other country and their culture, you never expect to learn more about your own country and yourself, which makes this experience unforgettable.

Practicing my Spanish while immersing myself in another culture prior to residency had long been a goal of mine, and CFHI helped make that happen. I really enjoyed both my language classes and homestay in Oaxaca. I was also able to take part in local art and cooking classes in my free time to continue to practice my Spanish, in addition to shadowing at a private surgical clinic. I'm grateful for the opportunity and would love to participate in a similar language immersion program with CFHI again.

Overall, I had a good experience with CFHI in India. My goals for the trip were to get out of my comfort zone and immerse myself in a new culture, meet and interact with the community directly, directly observe healthcare and health practice in India, and to expand my cultural awareness and humility. I was able to accomplish all of these things. For four weeks we stayed with hosts families and we got to know them as well as the culture they belonged to. There were many opportunities to interact with the community whether it be visits to public health sites while in Delhi, visiting the various clinics, or day-to-day interactions we had as we navigated unfamiliar terrain. In the clinics, Hindi was spoken most of the time so we did not always know what was going on, which was a minor detriment. However, there were many moments where guidance and clarification was given by the preceptors, often times when we were confident enough to ask quickly between patients. Some preceptors were intentional about making sure we understood what was going on and answering questions before or after clinic or during planned pauses in the clinic. A few were too busy to do such things, which is understandable. The experience also allowed for enormous growth. There were many times that I had to question my assumptions, evaluate my own perceptions, and/or genuinely challenge my beliefs, which I think has resulted in me being much more open-minded than before. With the intricate belief systems in India and resulting integration in daily life, I was able to begin learning what it truly means to acknowledge that I am no expert in the culture of another, and should be curious and open to learning about it. This is something I think I will take with me as I continue in Global Health.

I spent 4 weeks living in Oaxaca City, Oaxaca, Mexico and exploring the foundations of traditional medicine. I chose to travel to Oaxaca because of my connection to traditional medicine and my interest in cultural anthropological studies. As a physician, I hope to incorporate elements of traditional medicine into my practice, and I have a particular fascination with how different cultures integrate western and alternative medicines into one system for healing.

My experience with CFHI allowed me to compare the uses of traditional medicine practices in Oaxaca to the understanding of integrative medicine and traditional practices in the United States. I am so incredible grateful for the opportunity to learn in such an expansive and lively city. Being able to immerse myself in the Oaxacan culture was an experience I will never forgot and will only continue to inform my practice as a physician during residency. I improved my medical and conversational Spanish to the point of intermediate learner and was able to engage in learning that was entirely in Spanish. I learned so much about the traditional medicine practice in Oaxaca and different herbs that I can continue to learn about and utilize in my medical practice. I developed a deeper understanding of the interactions between traditional medicine and hospital medicine to inform my practice as an integrative medicine – family medicine physician. I also immersed myself in the Oaxacan culture and food and found a deeper appreciation for the way of life present in Oaxaca. I am so grateful I applied for this program and will continue to draw on experiences from this journey for the rest of my life.

Oaxaca is a food city and is known for its unique and delicious cuisine, so do not hesitate to explore and try the different foods that it has to offer.

This experience is perfect for those curious about global health and looking to further their knowledge through the lens of a particular country. During the program, you have the opportunity to learn from the perspective of your program host and create a relationship both with the host and your classmates, who all bring valuable perspectives. The program also allows the opportunity to collaborate with students from other programs and backgrounds, which creates a wonderful atmosphere to learn about some important general topics in global health. Each expert was engaging and welcoming, inspiring creativity and curiosity in all students! I felt comfortable to ask my program host anything and feel comfortable to reach out after the program about more opportunities for furthering my knowledge. I would recommend this program to someone with a hunger to know what the field of global health is all about, and to those who want to open their minds to health care in a global context