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Global Health Education Student Experiences

We encourage you to learn more about global health opportunities through previous student experiences. These students' firsthand accounts of their experiences will provide added insight when planning your trip. You'll learn what you can expect while you're abroad and the new perspective you'll receive upon your return.

For any questions about previous global health efforts, please contact the director of global health education, Dr. Varjavand at nv25@drexel.edu.

Share Your Experience

In order to raise global health awareness at Drexel, we hope that you'll share your experience by sending us reflections of your learning to post online for others. Include pictures or videos for which you have obtained consent to share.

Africa

Cameroon

“My experience in Cameroon was enlightening in many regards. My background is in global health and first year at Drexel only strengthened my desire to work on the ground delivering medical care in an international setting. During first year, we learned of the role of G6PD in malaria and the mechanisms of HIV transcription, but to actively be involved in the care of a child suffering from malaria or treating a young man with HIV really illuminated the importance of the fundamentals from first year. I was able to put a face to diseases and that elevated the importance of this material for me.”
Laura Pasternack (Summer 2014)

Egypt

Ethiopia

Addis Ababa (Ethiopia)

Ghana

Kenya

Drexel medical student Alexander Altman in Mombasa, Kenya with The Lighthouse of Christ Hospital-Ophthalmology.

The Lighthouse of Christ Hospital-Ophthalmology, Mombasa, Kenya

Lesotho

Malawi

WorldVision & Dornsife Global Development Scholars

Morocco

Drexel medical student Anya Venezia in Morocco with Love Volunteers.

Love Volunteers

Nigeria

Drexel medical student Alexander Sloboda at a Nigerian emergency care clinic.

Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Lagos & Enugu

Trauma Surgery Team, University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City

Fulbright U.S. Student Program

Senegal/Gambia

Svenja Schneider in Senegal

Dornslife Global Development Scholars Program
Svenja Schneider (Senegal, Summer 2016)
“I spent the summer working with World Vision in southern Senegal through the Dornsife Global Development Scholars Program. While I was there, I evaluated their current behavior change program which aims to improve hand-washing and latrine use through home visits in six different villages. I learned a lot from the conversations I had with families about their knowledge of hygiene and the struggles they faced as they tried to improve their sanitation. Additionally, these visits emphasized the importance of clean water and proper sanitation when it comes to development, growth, and innovation within a community. This experience reaffirmed my desire to go into global health and also deepened my understanding of responsible and sustainable development.”

Global Health Integration Module and Field Practicum Experience (Drexel University School of Public Health)

Frances Adachi (Summer 2013)

South Africa

MD student Juliette van Heerden at her global health experience in Cape Town, South Africa

Centre for Global Surgery with Stellenbosch University at Groote Schuur

Rima Dilbarova (MS4, Spring 2020)

Child Family Health International, Cape Town

Tanzania

Giraffes seen during MD student Talmadge Gaither's global health experience in Tanzania

World Vision Tanzania WASH, Dornsife Global Development Scholar

Mlali Rehabilitation Center for Children

Swaziland

Uganda

Zambia/Zimbabwe

Asia

Bangladesh

Dhaka Medical College in Bangladesh
Nahreen Ahmed (Winter 2010)

Bhutan

Drexel medical student Matthew Recker in Paro, Bhutan with Surgicorps - Operating Room.

Paro, Bhutan, Surgicorps
Matthew Recker (MS4)

China

Drexel MD student Chalon Forbes climbing the Hanging Monastery in Datong.

ACC Hamilton College, Beijing
Chalon Forbes (MS1)

Chengdu, China
Lynn Ma (Summer 2017, MS1)

India

Drexel medical student Neeta Shroff at the Sri Guru Ram Das Institute of Medical Sciences and Research in Amritsar, Punjab, India

Amar Hospital in Patiala, Punjab

ICU Rotation, Anandrishiji Hospital, Ahmednagar

Child Family Health International

Aurangabad, India
Mohammed Haji (Spring 2020, MS4)

Bhubaneswar, India
Debika Biswal Shinohara (Spring 2019, MS4)

Y.R.G. Care HIV and AIDS Medical and Research Center

Sri Guru Ram Das Institute of Medical Sciences and Research in Amritsar, Punjab, India

Clinical and Social Medicine Elective in Gujarat, India
Reena Parikh (Winter 2016)

Indian Himalayas and Indo-Tibetan Borderlands

Japan

Hirotaka with cardiovascular surgeon, Dr. Ohki, at Jikei University Hospital, and his surgical team.

Keio University Hospital
Stephanie Jinno, MS1 (2015) (download Stephanie's Discovery Day poster)

Tokyo, Japan - Asahi Life Foundation, The Institute for Adult Diseases (Diabetic Clinic)
Hirotaka Nakagawa (MS1)

Philippines

Metro San Jose Medical Center and Grace Mission Hospital: Surgical Medical Missions
Nicole Ann Villa (Summer 2022, MS1)

Sri Lanka

Nawaloka Hospital in Colombo
Vinesh Anandarajan (MS1)

Projects Abroad
Kelcie Lushefski (Summer 2016)

Uzbekistan

Republican Specialized Scientific and Practical Medical Center of Oncology and Radiology, Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Kamol Usmonov (MS2, Summer 2022)

Vietnam

MEMO - Medical Mission
Catherine Ly (Summer 2017, MS1)

Europe

Albania

Drexel medical student Maureen Waweru in Albania and Philadelphia with Summer Medical Institute.

Albania and Philadelphia
Maureen Waweru

Hungary

Idegsebészeti Klinika, Szeged, Hungary
Alexander Becsey (MS2 Summer 2022)

Netherlands

Amsterdam University Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Heather Ungerer (MS2 Summer 2022)

Sweden

Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
Sebastien Trott (MS3 2021–2022)

Switzerland

Duke Global Policy (DGP) Program in Geneva

WHO Geneva Program
Kush Mody (MS1 Summer 2017)

Alexander Sloboda - Geneva Program on Global Policy and Governance: Global Health Fellowship

WHO: Duke's Geneva Program on Global Policy and Governance: Global Health Fellowship
Alexander Slobada (Summer 2012)
“Duke's Geneva Program on Global Policy and Governance: Global Health Fellowship helped me obtain an internship at the WHO in Geneva. I interned for the Gender, Health Equity, and Human Rights team, and I got to see how global health policy is made at the highest level at the UN and international NGOs in order to build upon spending three summers working on global maternal health projects in Ghana. I had the privilege to meet, converse and work with students, doctors, nurses, public health professionals and diplomats from almost every country in the world.”

Doctors Without Borders, Geneva
Roxane Javadi (MS1 Summer 2017)

4th Year Elective in University of Geneva in Switzerland
Shawn Mattson (Spring 2015)

United Kingdom

British Pregnancy Advisory Service, Richmond, England
Margot Bellon (M1, Summer 2024)

Oxford and Exeter Universities
Shawn Joshi (June 2017-June 2018, Summer 2023)

London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
Melissa Margolis (MS1, Summer 2019)

North America, Central America, Caribbean Islands

Cuba

Drexel medical student Yetunde Akinde in Cienfuegos, Cuba.

Cienfuegos, Cuba

Community Health and Environment, in Cienfuegos, Cuba
Eleni Hannabery (MS1)

Guatemala

Honduras

Mexico

A view of Oaxaca, Mexico, including MD student Alexa

Child Family Health International
Alexa Smith (MS1, Summer 2023)

Panama

Bocas Del Toro Region: Floating Doctors Program
Sabrina Johnson and Erin Kelly (MS1, Summer 2022)

United States

North American west, desert, Navajo Nation.

UCSF Institute for Global Health Sciences (Oregon)
Abigail Higgins, MD ’27

Fort Defiance Medical Center, Navajo Nation
Greg Gabrellas

South America

Argentina

Bolivia

Drexel medical student Andre Bshara in Bolivia with Child Family Health International.

Child Family Health International
Andre Bshara (MS1)

Brazil

Hospital de Base & Federal Cardiology Institute
Adam Lundy (Summer 2015)

Ecuador

Drexel med student Garrett Mayo in the health clinic of Guayaquil; a board to monitor pregnant patients, including risk level.

Cachamsi Medical Spanish Institute, Riobamba

Child Health Family International

Ohio University Tropical Disease Institute's Chagas Research
"The program had two aspects, a mapping and research portion about the kissing bug and prevention (as well as other data gathering). It was also a health clinic where we took care of whatever the local population's needs were."
Andrew Morris (Summer 2015)

Child Family Health International Community Medicine: From Rainforest to Coast Program

Peru

Virtual Experiences

Foundation for International Medical Relief of Children Global Health Fellowship Summer Program
Courtney DiSangro (MS1, Summer 2020)


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