Virtual Global Health through Longitudinal Case-Based Rounds: A Bi-continental Medical Education Pilot Program

14^th International Conference on EHealth Technologies

September 18, 2023 | Webinar

Karin Ulstrup

North-western Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, USA

Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Health Med Informat

Abstract :

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic rapidly transferred medical education curricula to online platforms. this project was developed to confront travel restrictions, time restraints, and cost barriers, as students and faculty did not have access to global health experiences during the pandemic We strove to provide American and Tanzanian medical and physician assistant students with a longitudinal, global health experience through an online, interactive, and bi-directional collaboration. This virtual, case-based format moves medical education closer to the public health call for the widespread implementation of virtual care to adequately address health disparities worldwide. Method: The bi-continental cohort engaged in bi-weekly meetings using live video conferencing. During the three-hour calls, students presented and discussed deidentified patient-cases representative of cases seen in outpatient primary care clinics at their home institutions.The pilot program’s efficacy was assessed through anonymously reviewed qualitative surveys at its initiation, midpoint, and conclusion. Results: Six medical students from the North-western University Feinberg School of Medicine (2 MS1, 2 MS2, 1 research year, and 1 MS4) and physician-assisting students from a rural Tanzanian hospital, Rural Aid Organization Hospital were led by an attending physician in their respective countries. The program began in December 2021 and concluded in April 2022. Conclusion: We have demonstrated the ability to deploy a virtual global health experience for medical students. This program is unique in its bi-directionality: students and attending physicians from two continents directly communicated and discussed cases, as opposed to traditional lecture-based global health courses. We continued global health educational experiences despite travel restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic by transitioning global health experience to the virtual setting. However, after countries ease restrictions, this model will increase the prevalence of global medical education by eliminating travel, cost, and time barriers.

Biography :

Ulstrup practices and teaches at North-western Medicine and the Feinberg School of Medicine at North-western University in Chicago, Illinois. Her educational and leadership work at the Feinberg includes mentoring 20 medical students annually, overseeing clinical rotations, teaching global health virtually in a primary care elective and leading 30+ students as an Education Centered Medical Home (ECMH) site leader. In addition to extensive global health missions and volunteer work over the past 25 years, Ulstrup also currently serves as the Scholars of Wellness Network Director.