GMSP
Geographical Medicine Scholars Program: Research on an International Level
By Asima Ahmad, MS 3
Asima Ahmad
Among the plethora of community service and research opportunities available to Pritzker students are countless local projects. But in taking a look beyond US borders, students will also find opportunities to serve and work at the international level. “Going abroad gives both students and residents the opportunity to practice medicine in different resource-limited settings and to see disease processes that we don’t have a chance to see here in Chicago,” elucidates Dr. Janis Tupesis, Assistant Professor of Medicine. He and other faculty members from the University of Chicago Sections of Infectious Disease and Emergency Medicine started up the Geographical Medicine Scholars Program (GMSP) in 2006 in an attempt to increase the level of global health competency among medical students and residents at the University of Chicago. “GMSP was created to act as a fulcrum, balancing clinical and research experiences in international settings,” explains Dr. John Schneider, co-founder of GMSP.
GMSP trainees get ready for their trip to the Taj Mahal in Agra, India
The program is comprised of three components: monthly symposia, clinical competency experiences, and an in-country practicum. The monthly symposium component helps strengthen the scholar’s knowledge base of international disease, ethics, and medical care, while the clinical competency allows scholars to gain clinical skills. The latter is particularly beneficial for the pre-clinical scholars, giving them the experience and confidence to interview patients, perform physical exams, and conduct minor procedures. Selected scholars participate in a four-week in-country practicum based in Hyderabad, India. This past year eight scholars, six medical students, and two residents participated in this part of the program. The practicum schedule consisted of lectures, rounding at hospitals such as Nizam’s and Mediciti, hands-on small group teaching sessions, visiting an HIV orphanage, and participating in disease prevention programs (TB, for example). Within the structured format, there was also some flexibility that allowed students to pursue their own interests. I was able to work more closely with the Sivananda Rehabilitation Home to create an annual summer program for volunteers to teach at the HIV orphanage. Other scholars spent time observing reconstructive surgeries of leprosy patients, visiting pediatric hospitals, and even giving presentations to local residents.
Although it seems that the year’s activities are in preparation for the in-country practicum, the purpose of the GMSP is to unite individuals with similar international interests. Students and residents interested in pursuing international research or health policy are able to connect with and find mentors who are currently active or have experience conducting such projects. For example, current faculty members associated with GMSP are managing research projects in Nigeria, Bangladesh, and India. The subjects of study include breast cancer, environmental correlates of cancer, dermatological diseases, HIV prevention, and substance abuse.
The GMSP can therefore be seen as an international health care study program or as a tool to help those students interested in health care to gain the experience and mentorship to take part in or direct their own self-tailored international research, policy, and community service projects.
- For more information, visit pritzker.bsd.uchicago.edu/gmsp
