Welcome to the Global Health and Underserved Track
The goal of the Global Health & Underserved Track is to provide meaningful opportunities for our residents to practice and teach medicine in unique settings with a focus on health equity. The international or local rotation and associated scholarly project enrich both the resident and the hospitals we serve. Throughout your categorical training you will have the opportunity to work at several underserved community clinics in the area. This experience not only provides a great impact to the surrounding community but also provides insight into the health care disparities in our health system.
Educational Focus
The curriculum of the Global Health & Underserved Track emphasizes medical knowledge, scholarship, and teaching skills. While in Utah, you will learn about needs assessments, social determinants of health, practicing medicine in low-resource settings, as well as public health and preventive medicine. You will also identify an area of need and design a scholarly project to be implemented during your elective rotation. During your elective you will be actively involved in teaching local healthcare providers and patients, leaving a lasting impact.
Program Structure
Components of the Global Health & Underserved Track include didactics, an individual or small group scholarly project, and an international or local elective rotation. Didactic sessions will have various formats, such as journal clubs and online discussions, based on your elective site.
For the scholarly project, you have the freedom to choose a topic that you care about. It could be research, clinical, or teaching-based, it is up to you. The track leadership will help you formulate a plan that can be implemented during your elective. Upon your return, you will present your project to the program.
For most residents, the elective is the most rewarding part of the Global Health & Underserved Track, and perhaps their entire residency. You will be on the ground for three to six weeks, working side-by-side with local healthcare providers, and executing your scholarly project. Our established partnerships are in Colombia, Rwanda, and India, but other international sites may be explored on an individual basis. Local partnerships consist of Fourth Street Clinic and the Homeless Healthcare Elective, and developing rural sites throughout the state and the Southwest.
The University Teaching Hospital of Butare, Rwanda offers a 4 year medicine training program with 65 residents. Dr. Devon Hale, formerly the director of University of Utah’s Global Health Program, spent a year in Butare helping to develop our partnership. Residents gain inpatient experience with medicine cases typical of a developing African country. English is spoken and no other language skills are required.
Electives
Individual Opportunities
In addition to these several structured international clinical experiences, residents may pursue their own experiences, pending approval by the program director.
Application Process for Categorical Tracks
Prospective applicants for tracks (Global Health, Primary Care, and Hospital Medicine) should apply to the conventional categorical residency program (1732140C0) in the NRMP Match. Once you have joined our program, you will apply to the track of your choice during your PGY1 year. Track activities will begin during July of your PGY2 year.