Maputo, Mozambique

Spring 2027

Description

*DGSOM faculty, Drs. Cecily Gallup, Lee Miller, Traci Wells, and Deb Lehman, in front of HCM*

GHP and the Mattel Children’s Hospital at UCLA have established strong relationships with the Eduardo Mondlane University (UEM) School of Medicine, and with the faculty leadership at the Central Hospital of Maputo, the primary medical school and teaching hospital in the country, respectively. Mozambique is home to over 15 million children aged 0–14 and has some of the highest neonatal and childhood mortality rates in sub-Saharan Africa. An estimated 60% of the population lives in extreme poverty, defined by the World Bank as living on less than $2.15 per day. There is a huge shortage of human resources for health, including physicians: only a small number of Mozambican pediatricians and very few pediatric subspecialists and pediatric surgeons serve the entire country.

We are pleased to offer a clinical rotation in Pediatrics in Mozambique in the spring of 2027. This global health elective provides broad exposure in the delivery of care to an extremely underserved pediatric population at this referral center. The major emphasis of this rotation will be in the inpatient setting at the 1500 bed Maputo Central Hospital (HCM), with additional opportunities to work in ambulatory settings. Students may rotate on the pediatric infectious diseases ward, the infant ward, the malnutrition ward, and on the general pediatrics service, gaining broad exposure to medical problems including HIV-AIDS, tuberculosis, diarrhea and dehydration, malnutrition, and malaria. In addition, students will have opportunities to learn about the medical education and the health care delivery system in Mozambique.

PEDS HCM — *Pediatric Urgent Care at HCM*

While in Mozambique, students will be supervised by a UCLA pediatric faculty member living in Maputo, Dr. Chris Buck, and by UEM pediatric faculty at Central Hospital of Maputo. Students will alsohave opportunities to work with pediatric residents and medical students from UEM.

The rotation in Mozambique 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, 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. While proficiency in Portuguese is ideal, it is not required for this rotation; however, students must have at least conversational Spanish skills in order to participate in this elective.

Details

Funding and Housing

Students will receive roundtrip airfare and an additional $1,000 in financial support for the Maputo clinical rotation. The host institution will provide housing recommendations. These funds are intended to help offset expenses such as housing, local transportation, and other travel-related costs. Students should anticipate contributing personal funds, as the total cost of the rotation may exceed the financial support provided by the Global Health Program.

Application and Orientation

Applications for this elective are due Monday, September 7, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Interviews for this elective will primarily be held on Saturday, September 19, 2026. Limited interview appointments may also be available on Friday, September 18, 2026, from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m., and Thursday, September 24, 2026, from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Students selected for this rotation must attend a mandatory, full-day pre-departure orientation in Los Angeles on Saturday, February 6, 2027.

Rotation Dates and Post-Rotation Requirements

Rotation dates for this elective have been confirmed. Students applying to this three-week elective must be able to commit to the rotation from April 12 through April 30, 2027. Please note that international travel will require departing Los Angeles approximately two days before the official start of the rotation to allow sufficient time for travel and arrival in Maputo.

Following the rotation, students will be expected to complete written evaluations, participate in a mandatory full-group debrief on Thursday, June 3, 2027, from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m., and attend a site-specific debrief, which will be scheduled following their return and prior to graduation.

Questions

Questions regarding this rotation should be directed to Dr. Traci Wells at TWells@mednet.ucla.edu.