Global health training and postgraduate medical education in Australia: the case for greater integration

Abstract

Summary Global health (GH) training is well established overseas (particularly in North America) and reflects an increasing focus on social accountability in medical education. Despite significant interest among trainees, GH is poorly integrated with specialty training programs in Australia. While there are numerous benefits from international rotations in resource‐poor settings, there are also risks to the host community, trainee and training provider. Safe and effective placements rely on firm ethical foundations as well as strong and durable partnerships between Australian and overseas health services, educational institutions and GH agencies. More formal systems of GH training in Australia have the potential to produce fellows with the skills and knowledge necessary to engage in regional health challenges in a global context.

Global health training in US obstetrics and gynaecology residency programmes: perspectives of students, residents and programme directors

“…Interestingly, the problem of unmet need for global health training is not unique to the US. Similar concerns appear to exist in Australia, where trainee interest exists but few postgraduate training programmes provide global health training 8. Suggested explanations for this unmet need specifically in surgical specialties such as general surgery and OBGYN is the complex nature of surgical training and the concern that this intense training will be interrupted while completing the global health elective 6…”

US medical specialty global health training and the global burden of disease

“…While there are publications on medical school global health education from North America, Europe, South America and the Pacific [9,44-49], literature for non–US residency education programs is scarce. Of note, a rare article on graduate medical education from Australia, reports that despite significant interest among trainees, global health education is not well developed [50]. …”

The benefits of international health experiences for Australian and New Zealand medical education

“…When combined with the growth of medical enrolments over the past decade, 7 the actual number of Australian and New Zealand medical students undertaking clinical learning in international settings is significant. Interestingly, this rapid increase in global clinical learning has been driven almost entirely by student demand and has been predominantly organised by students 2 , 3 …”

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an area for study, research and practice that places a priority on improving health and achieving health equity for all people worldwide, [which] emphasises transnational health issues, determinants and solutions; involves many disciplines between and beyond the health sciences; and synthesises population‐based prevention with individual‐level care 2

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“…Despite the emergence and establishment of global health as an academic discipline, it largely resides within public health education and practice, and is typically taught and learnt within Master of Public Health programs, rather than through experiences within mainstream medical education. In Australian and New Zealand medical programs, clinical learning with a global health focus is generally achieved through the inclusion of clinical placement electives that permit student‐initiated and organised international health experiences (IHEs) 2 . In cases where the IHEs are arranged by the university, they are generally short and optional.…”