Global Health Programs

Through the use of interactive small group classes, community service opportunities, and cultural competency lectures, the Medical Spanish Course Non-Credit Elective is designed to give medical students an opportunity to learn and practice many of the expressions, common questions and answers, and terminology used when interacting with Spanish speaking patients. The overall goal is to improve medical students’ conversation for use in medical interviewing and patient communication.

Throughout the academic year, the course offers 10 small group sessions (1.5 hours/session), lectures on the proper use of a medical interpreter and Latino culture, and community service experiences.

Eligibility

This course is only open to medical students.

Enrollment

Enrollment is done electronically. Email notices will be sent to the class listserves about the informational session and course registration process.

Classroom Sessions

The Medical Spanish classes are divided into four levels of fluency: beginner, intermediate-low and intermediate-high, and advanced. The beginner and intermediate levels consist of small group didactic and interactive role-playing classes to maximize students’ potential to learn key concepts. The advanced level curriculum is primarily interactive role-playing with concepts commonly used in a clinical setting. Each level is taught by a Medical Spanish instructor and has a maximum class size of 25 students.

Objectives

At the end of the course, participants will be able to:

1. Translate basic anatomy from English to Spanish, and vise versa
2. Initiate conversation with Spanish-speaking patients
3. Apply medical Spanish terminology to obtain a basic history and facilitate the performance of a physical examination of patients
4. Advocate the use of a qualified interpreter when the encounter goes beyond the student’s level of understanding
5. Discuss cultural practices and health beliefs unique to the Hispanic community
6. Discuss the Office for Civil Rights and other legal guidelines for physicians caring for the Limited English Proficient Patient

Credit Requirements

Students who successfully fulfill the requirements will receive a notation of completion on their academic transcript. To receive credit for the course, participants must fulfill the following by May 31:

1. Complete 10 out of 12 classroom/lecture sessions
2. Participate in two community service events that serve patients whose primary language is Spanish.

Contacts

Sonia Laumbach
Faculty Advisor
sgarcia@rwjms.rutgers.edu

Cynthia Ferrer-Cespedes
Program Coordinator
ferrercl@rwjms.rutgers.edu

The Medical Mandarin Course Non-Credit Elective aims to provide students with sufficient Medical Mandarin knowledge to facilitate effective patient communication and medical interviewing.

Eligibility

The course is open only to medical students. However, no prior experience in Mandarin is required.

Course Content

The course consists of a Beginner class and an Advanced class, which are both one hour in length. Participants in the Beginner class gain a basic foundation in Mandarin vocabulary and interview skills, whereas Advanced participants gain more in-depth clinical interviewing skills in Mandarin.

Clinical Experiences

Throughout the year, students participate in Mandarin-speaking community service events where they are paired side-by-side with American-Chinese physicians and health care professionals to provide medical care to a non-English-speaking population. Students also have the opportunity to complete a Global Health rotation in Taiwan or China during the summer after M1 year or during the spring of M4 year.

Instructors

Two second-year medical students teach the Advanced class, while the Beginner class is led by a second-year medical student and a Mandarin-speaking Rutgers graduate student.Objectives

Objectives

• Patient Care: Apply medical Mandarin terminology to obtain a history and perform a physical using Mandarin. Participate in community outreach activities with Mandarin-speaking patients.
• Medical Knowledge: Learn the vocabulary of common diseases and complaints in Mandarin and English.
• Practice-Based Learning and Improvement: Advocate for the use of qualified interpreters if encounters exceed student’s proficiency level.
• Interpersonal and Communication Skills: Initiate conversations with Mandarin-speaking patients.
• Professionalism: Discuss cultural beliefs and practices unique to the Mandarin-speaking community.
• Systems-Based Practice: Facilitate improved patient access by bridging the language barrier between Mandarin-speaking patients and English-speaking physicians and staff.

Credit Requirements

Students who successfully fulfill the requirements will receive a notation of completion on their academic transcript.

To receive credit for the course, participants must:

• Attend at least eight lectures
• Participate in two community service events that serve patients whose primary language is Mandarin

View the Course Description

Contacts

Elective Directors
Calvin Wang, cw1028@rwjms.rutgers.edu
Celina Zhou, cz422@rwjms.rutgers.edu
Emily Wang, ew461@rwjms.rutgers.edu
George Hung, gah103@rwjms.rutgers.edu
Matthew Silverman, ms3648@rwjms.rutgers.edu

Faculty Advisor
Karen Lin

The Global Health Experience (course number MDC 9070) is designed to enhance students' awareness of international issues relevant to health, exposure to other languages and cultures, and knowledge of other health care systems.

Global health elective opportunities will be offered in several countries and will follow the guidelines outlined below. Some countries may offer some unique experiences and these will be determined on a case-by-case basis. For example, for some students, Medical Spanish would become a primary goal in the international rotations. Others may like to learn about international research collaborations.

Eligibility

This course is open to third- and fourth-year medical students.

Experiential Component (Clinical)

This includes working in primary care clinics, hospitals, and community settings under the supervision of a physician. Students will assess the cultural and environmental context in which patients present and elicit the needed information on the subject’s medical, social, and personal condition; make or update a diagnosis; decide and apply interventions; and properly record information on the encounter. After the clinical time, a case discussion will be held with the supervisor.

Scholarly Project (Review Project or Case Presentation Project)

At the beginning of the elective, the student will agree with the mentor on a scholarly project. The project could involve a case presentation or a literature review, four–six pages, double spaced. The case presentation, besides the standard sections, should include a discussion of global health issues affecting the presentation, treatment, and prognosis of the case. The literature review must deal with a subject relevant to global health in the specific region chosen for the elective. It can also include contrasts and comparisons between the US and the host country’s health care systems and lessons learned that can be applied here. In order to receive credit, students will also be required to complete a student feedback form about their learning experience at the global health site.

Objectives

Objectives of the regular clinical outpatient training for medical students include:

• Enhancing the six core competencies of patient care, medical knowledge, practice-based learning and improvement, professionalism, interpersonal and communication skills, and systems-based practice
• Enhancing cultural sensitivity and competence in medical students
• Encouraging students to consider global health careers or practice in communities where there is a shortage of linguistically competent providers

Evaluation

The evaluation will follow the general parameters in use at the medical school. The student will carry the evaluation form (available from the Registrar’s Office) abroad and request their on-site supervisor to complete the form. The student will return the completed evaluation form to the Office of Global Health with a final version of the scholarly project.

Karen Lin, associate dean for global health, will use the evaluation that the on-site supervisor provided and an evaluation of the scholarly project, to complete the evaluation grade form. This grade will be submitted by the Office of Global Health to the Registrar’s Office on the student’s behalf.

• Attendance
• Knowledge
• Rapport /Communication /Professionalism
• Scholarly project

The Global Health Interest Group (GHIG) is designed to raise awareness of international health issues through a close collaboration with the Office of Global Health. GHIG offers a "Global Health Elective" that includes lunch lectures and events with speakers who have worked in different capacities in global health. Topics covered throughout the year will broaden students' perspectives on different cultures and world medical problems that are not seen in the United States. In addition, GHIG assists students who visit abroad during the summer between first and second year or during the fourth-year electives with fundraising and information sessions. The GHIG coordinators are also members of the steering committee for the Office of Global Health.

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Student Leaders and Contact Information

George Hung
President
gah103@rwjms.rutgers.edu

Shreya Gupta
Vice President
sg1496@rwjms.rutgers.edu

Neha Chauhan
Treasurer
nc879@rwjms.rutgers.edu

Arsala Khan
Secretary
ak1709@rwjms.rutgers.edu

Global Surgery Student Alliance (GSSA) is the national student-run global surgery working group for the United States, affiliated with InciSioN (the International Student Surgical Network). The GSSA mission is to educate, inspire, and unite students through engagement and mentorship in global surgery, including anesthesia and OB/GYN.

The Robert Wood Johnson Medical School chapter of GSSA was founded in early 2018 by Erin Scott, Paul Truche, Ardi Mendoza, and Shahyan Rehman. It is a student-run advocacy group for global surgery to educate interested students early on what global surgery is and how they can integrate global surgery work into their medical school education. Gregory Peck and Joseph S. Hanna serve as the GSSA faculty advisors.

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Contact Information

George Hung
President
gah103@rwjms.rutgers.edu

Sophia Tumsuden
Vice President of Research
st1185@rwjms.rutgers.edu

Diana Vitkovska
Vice President of Education
dv427@rwjms.rutgers.edu

The Robert Wood Johnson Medical School observership is a cultural exchange program that provides insight into the day-to-day responsibilities of our doctors in their respective specialties. Each participant in the observership (no hands-on) will be matched with a faculty member who will serve as their mentor. It is the goal of the observership to give an insight into the United States medical system by observing our medical teams. Depending on the departments, the observership will allow observers to:

• Experience new techniques and treatments
• Have discussions with responsible physicians and medical teams
• Observe surgeries and other invasive interventions
• Familiarize themselves with best-practice methods at a high medical level
• Learn how cultural practices affect health

Timeline

The observer ship is for a minimum of two weeks to a maximum of four weeks. Apply at least six months ahead of desired time frame, mid-February to June or September to November. The program accepts a maximum of two students per four weeks and a maximum of two students per institution each year. 

Placement Availability

Placement is based on the availability of our global health faculty. Students should first consult their international office to receive approval to apply for our observership. The international office should then send us an email on behalf of the student including the student's email address and CV.

Eligibility

1. Full-time non-US citizen medical students in their final year of study outside the United States, in good academic standing from a partnering institution
2. Partnering institution has nominated you to participate in the observership program at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
3. Completion of core clerkships prior to starting date of approved observership: internal medicine, obstetrics/gynecology, pediatrics, psychiatry, surgery, and family medicine
4. Dean’s letter or letter of good standing from registrar supporting good academic standing and expected date of graduation (must state "expected date of graduation") 
5. Must be fully vaccinated at least two weeks prior to observership start, including COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters, and flu vaccine
6. English language proficiency
7. CV and transcript

Requirements

1. Complete forms
   1. We will send the documents to the approved/nominated students
   2. Supply supporting documents
2. Confirm dates of placement and duration of stay
3. HIPAA to be completed after acceptance and placement
4. Proof of malpractice coverage from your institution. If not covered by your institution, you will need coverage.
5. A valid passport and proof of visa. Visas are needed to enter the US. See your institution for the best option. International students in the past have used the Visitors Visa. We do not sponsor students for any visas. Please start your visa application early.

End-of-Program Info

Students are required to do a short presentation on their time at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School to the Office of Global Health. An end-of-observership evaluation is also required.

The Office of Global Health will collect feedback from faculty mentor(s) at the end of their observership, which will be sent to the student and their institution in a letter.

Please note that these costs may change depending on the time you travel.

Explore resources for our observership participants and learn more about things to do during your time at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

Housing

• Rutgers Faculty and Staff Short-Term Housing
• Airbnb
• Community Facebook groups:
  • Rutgers Indian Graduate Student Association (RIGSA)
  • Rutgers (RU) Housing, Sublets & Roommates

Transportation

• Public transport
• NJ Transit (if on the Northeast Corridor)
  • Train Map
  • Bus Map
• Rutgers–New Brunswick Campus Buses/Shuttle Service
• Uber or Lyft

Entertainment

• Things to do in New Jersey:
  • Explore cafés, restaurants, and performance venues in New Brunswick
  • Venture to New York City, 40 minutes via train, and other historic towns in central New Jersey, such as Princeton
  • Watch a virtual tour of Downtown New Brunswick
  • Find things to do in New Brunswick
• Things to do at Rutgers:
  • Rutgers Cinema
  • Rutgers–New Brunswick events
  • Rutgers Global events

Having the opportunity to witness clinical study abroad role models up close is a valuable experience. It is definitely enjoyable, so if you are unsure about studying abroad, I encourage you to take the challenge without hesitation!

Kai Okubo

Fukui University, Japan, 2023

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