Pathway
Global Health Equity
Developing future equity-minded global health practitioners
Our unique Pathway prepares highly motivated medical students to build an equity-minded and conscientious career in global health. We provide a longitudinal curriculum over the course of a student's time at DGSOM that culminates in the completion of a faculty mentored, immersive project that prioritizes our global partners’ interests. Projects may include clinical or social science research, quality improvement, med-ed, policy/advocacy work, and/or public health programming. Pathway students are selected each year through a competitive application process and those completing all requirements will have details of their achievement noted in their Medical Student Performance Evaluation (Dean’s Letter).
MS1: Students engage in global health 101 curriculum (Fall Selective), tailored skill building relevant to global health (Spring Series), and match with mentors and partner organizations for longitudinal projects through meetings with UCLA’s established partners.
MS2: Students work with their mentors to develop a project for the Discovery experience and can choose to participate in Foundations, which provides up to four weeks at the partner organization to lay the groundwork for Discovery. Students participate in quarterly Works in Progress meetings for peer learning and feedback.
MS3: During the Discovery Learning Experience, students spend a minimum of four months at their partner organization to conduct the bulk of their longitudinal project. Students conduct critical reflections throughout their Discovery experience and upon completion, produce a report describing their project, outcomes, and lessons learned.
MS4: Upon invitation from the partner organization, students are encouraged to return their partner organization to ensure respectful project transition (including closure or hand over) and to share the results with the local community.