Lilongwe, Malawi
Spring 2024
Description
GHP has forged strong relationships in Malawi in order to conduct clinical, behavioral, and basic science research, and to provide training opportunities for UCLA students, residents, and fellows. Our main collaborator in Malawi is Partners in Hope (PIH) Medical Center (pictured) in Lilongwe, the capital city. PIH provides free HIV prevention, care, and treatment to over 5,000 patients, and has also developed outreach programs to support rural clinics in central Malawi.
We are pleased to offer a clinical rotation at PIH Medical Center for two senior medical students in the spring of 2024. Malawi is among the poorest countries in the world, and students participating in this elective will gain broad experience in the delivery of primary care medicine to extremely underserved populations. The rotation has an emphasis on the management of HIV/AIDS in resource-limited settings (HIV prevalence in Malawi is approximately 8.1%), and the management of malaria, tuberculosis, parasitic infections, and common routine health problems such as diabetes and hypertension.
Chantal Barksdale '22 and Hahn Nguyen '22 discuss their global health clinical rotation in Malawi
Students rotate through an HIV clinic and a small inpatient ward at PIH. Approximately 70% of patients are adults, although one clinic each week is dedicated to maternal-child and family health. Students may have the opportunity to visit Kamuzu Central Hospital (Lilongwe’s largest tertiary care center), nutrition programs, and visit patient homes as part of community outreach.
Students will be supervised by other U.S. and Malawi-trained internists and family physicians, and work alongside Malawian clinical officers, nurses, and providers-in-training. UCLA students are expected to participate in educational conferences and journal clubs during the rotation.
The rotation in Malawi has been developed with formal goals and objectives. We are seeking students with an interest in caring for underserved populations, and those with enthusiasm for global health, HIV, Aug-22 2 infectious diseases, and health service delivery in resource-poor settings. Students will be expected to demonstrate the highest level of maturity, professionalism, and cultural sensitivity. Students should be adaptable to the challenges of living in Malawi (frequent power outages and limited communications, including internet).
Details
Students will receive roundtrip airfare and $1,000 of additional support for the Malawi clinical rotation. These funds will offset some of the costs of in- country accommodation and food. Students will need to cover the remaining expenses from other funds, as the cost of this rotation will likely exceed the amount provided through the Global Health Program.
Interviews for this elective will take place on Saturday, September 9, 2023, and limited time window(s) after September 9th. Students selected for this rotation are required to participate in a mandatory full-day pre-departure training program in Los Angeles on Saturday, February 10, 2024. Upon return home from Malawi, students will be expected to provide feedback through written evaluations and to participate in a mandatory lunchtime feedback session on Thursday, May 30, 2024. Separate from this, students will be asked to attend a site-specific debrief to be arranged upon return from Malawi and prior to graduation.
Rotation dates for this elective have been confirmed. Students applying to this three-week elective must be able to commit to this elective from March 18, 2024, through April 5, 2024. Note that a March 18 start date will require departure from the U.S. by March 16, 2024, at the latest.
Questions regarding this rotation should be directed to Dr. Traci Wells at TWells@mednet.ucla.edu.