program highlights
these are programs with a long legacy, continuing to
receive rave reviews from participants
Global Health Scholars Program
This program is now in its fourth year. Six scholars are chosen annually by a highly competitive application program. They meet regularly on conference calls, have required readings, and carry out a project with the assistance of premier global health figures. Past instructors have included Paul Farmer and Jim Kim of Partners in Health. Students get the opportunity to network and learn from renowned leaders that they wouldn’t otherwise have access to.
External Partner: Better World Books
SeaCouver Study Tour
AMSA has organized study tours foreign health care systems for over 10 years, traveling to cities in Canada, Europe, Cuba, and Asia. The current study tour, SeaCouver, is in its 6th year and takes students to Seattle and Vancouver to compare and contrast the health care delivery systems. Students have the opportunity to meet with the Vice Ministers of Health of British Columbia, as well as a number of other key figures in health policy and clinical medicine. An important componenet of SeaCouver is that students work in teams to film interviews of people on the street about how they perceive their own health care system and what they would like to see improved. Video recordings are used to develop educational materials for mass distribution.
Humanistic Elective in Alternative Medicine, Activism, and Reflective Transformation (HEART)
This month-long elective provides 25 fourth-year medical students with a unique and rewarding way to conclude their medical school careers and prepare for their future work as healer-physicians. The program has been in existence for 7 years, and is accredited as a general elective in internal medicine. The 2009 elective is set for the Sequoia Retreat Center in northern California.
External Partner: University of Florida School of Medicine
Community and Public Health Leadership Institute
Now in its 9th year, the Community and Public Health Institute (CPHI) is the longest running leadership institute in AMSA’s history. CPHI has trained over 75 aspiring medical and premedical students to become leaders in the public health arena. Topics have including public health theory, health promotion strategies, community project planning, and health advocacy. This institute affords students the opportunity to learn from world-renowned leaders in the field of public health, such as Dr. Woodie Kessel, former Assistant US Surgeon General and Dr. Gopal Sankaran, former member of the Board of Governors for the Global Health Council.