Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Who is part of ASoc Global Health?
Our team is composed of the Vice-President of Global Health, an Assistant Vice-President of Global Health, one to two Global Health Advocates, and our Local Officers. There are both Junior and Senior Local Officer roles for each of the following: the Local Exchange Officer (LEO), the Local Officer of Global Health Education (LOGHE), the Local Officer of Reproductive and Sexual Health (LORSH), and the Local Officer of Indigenous Health (LOIH). Local Officer positions are outlined through the CFMS and are represented at each Canadian medical schools. Meet our team by clicking here or by consulting the Our Team section below.
What is global health?
Global Health seeks to research, understand, and address health inequities and barriers to access for populations worldwide. This includes improving the health of vulnerable populations within Canada as well as internationally.
What are your main events during the year?
Events change year to year, but every Fall we host the Annual Action Global Health Network Conference (uOttawa Global Health Conference). In January, we host the uOttawa Humanitarian Month with talks on topics such as Doctors Without Borders and International Research and Healthcare. Be sure to be on the lookout for our workshops, research opportunities, leadership roles, international electives and so much more!
Introduction to Global Health
At the University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine, we are passionate about mobilizing students to take action against current issues in global health. There are a wide variety of events to be involved in, including interest group talks, electives, and conferences. Get involved today!
This website will be your one-stop-shop for global health initiatives at the uOttawa Faculty of Medicine. Information regarding the Global Health Stream, Electives, and the Action Global Health Network (AGHN) Conference can be found on this page. For easy navigation, consult the tabs to the right of your screen. Furthermore, events can be found in the ASoc Calendar.
Global Health Stream
What is the uOttawa Faculty of Medicine Global Health Stream?
The Global Health Concentration is an optional curriculum aimed at undergraduate medical students who wish to pursue further education and training in global health. The curriculum features learning objectives that centre on seven major themes in global health. Students complete these learning objectives through didactic teaching, academic self-study, and experiential learning. The Global Health Concentration is a self-directed learning program that allows students to choose from a variety of learning materials and to select the learning styles that best suit them. Students who would like to earn a Certificate of Achievement in Global Health by completing an academic project are encouraged to use their skills and experience to present their work by various means, including photo journals, video journals, and poster presentations.
You will find further details about the Global Health Concentration on the uOttawa Faculty of Medicine website.
For more information on the Global Health Concentration, contact the Global Health Program Coordinator.
How do I participate in the Global Health Stream?
- Read up on the Global Health Stream here.
- Complete the registration form.
- Send your completed registration form to globalhealth@uottawa.ca.
How do I go about completing the list of global health objectives?
Some objectives are covered within the undergraduate medical curriculum (ie. through certain SIM lectures), while other objectives can be met through various other means. Such as, through attending Global Health Stream Reflection Sessions, reading up on material, online training modules, attending guest lecturers, attending interest group talks, attending international health and development course offered through uOttawa, etc., the list goes on!
As long as you are able to speak towards these experiences and reflect on them briefly and justify the learning somehow within the objectives tracking document, it should suffice!
How should I choose a global health project?
The Scholarly Project part of the Global Health Concentration (GHC) offers an in-depth investigation of global health topics of interest to students with the goal of creating critical thinkers and lifelong learners. Scholarly projects emphasize self-directed learning to position students participating in the GHC for success in their future careers. Scholarly projects are a mandatory requirement for students who wish to pursue the Certificate of Achievement in Global Health.
While projects may follow the traditional models of clinical and basic science research, students are also given the opportunity to pursue projects as diverse as developing proposals for solutions to global health challenges, exploring an aspect of global health through documentary film or proposing a legislative bill related to an aspect of human health and disease impacted by the social determinants of health. Students are challenged to be creative thinkers and problem solvers. Student pursuing a career in global health will be called upon to take an active seat at the table answering the biggest questions facing global health challenges and a scholarly project is first step to learning how to deal with that. Each scholarly project will culminate in a presentation of the student’s work. The requirement to complete a scholarly project is optional. Students who successfully complete and disseminate a scholarly project in additional to the curriculum will earn a Certificate of Achievement in Global Health which will also appear on their MSPR.
How should I choose a global health elective?
The length of the elective is a minimum of two weeks, in a setting within Canada or Internationally that is affected by the social determinants of health such as a low resource setting or locally a setting serving marginalized populations. There are various means of finding elective opportunities. Such as, through an IFMSA (International Federation of Medical Students Association) elective, various local ambassadors and NGOs, and your peers. The Global Health Program website provides a guide for setting up international electives. Please note that pre-approval for international electives is required.
If I have more questions, who can I contact?
- Visit the IGHO website – your best resource for the uOttawa Global Health Concentration.
- Desiree Miller-McCaughey, Global Health Program Coordinator (globalhealth@uottawa.ca)
- Dr. Anne McCarthy, Global Health Program Faculty (amccarthy@toh.ca)
- Rebecca Seliga, Local Officer of Global Health Education (rseli101@uottawa.ca)
- uOttawa Aesculapian Society Vice-President of Global Health (vpglobalhealth.aesc@uottawa.ca)
Electives
International electives allow medical trainees the opportunity to participate in a clinical or research experience abroad. Each elective placement usually spans from two to six weeks. These electives give students the opportunity to participate in observerships and provide residents with unique training opportunities in specific fields of medicine.
Participating in an international elective will expose participants to diverse medical environments and provide them with hands on learning opportunities.
Please consult the Global Health website for information on setting up international electives. This guide contains up-to-date information and a guide for setting up an international elective.
Pre-Departure Training: Please note that the requirement to complete a pre-departure training session will now be mandatory for all international mobility. If you are considering an international elective during your UGME, we suggest you complete the training early in pre-clerkship to avoid schedule conflicts that often arise during clerkship. Pre-Departure Training is a free session that take place 3 times per year in the Fall, Winter, and Spring.
Open Registration: Registration information will be updated once international electives resume.
Conferences
Action Global Health Network Conference
The Action Global Health Network (#AGHN) is a conference at the University of Ottawa which stimulates discussion, inspires action, facilitates networking and challenges perceptions about local and international global health and development issues. The event brings together current and future leaders, stakeholders, and passionate individuals from a diversity of backgrounds – including allied health and medicine, law and policy, science and technology amongst many others.
Happening in September, the conference will take place online and will feature workshops and keynote speakers from leaders in global health. The conference will offer a global health perspective to the COVID-19 pandemic and a case competition.
Many themes will be presented, such as, the impact of the pandemic on vulnerable populations, what we have learned and how we can apply this knowledge to improve our societies and healthcare, how medical students can contribute, learn, and grow in this new reality, etc.
The conference offers many talks and workshops. Stay tuned for more information and don’t forget to take a look at our Facebook page!
Combating Vaccine Hesitancy
November 2019
The Global Health Committee teamed up with Ottawa Public Health for the 2019 AGHN Conference centred on counteracting vaccine hesitancy. The conference brought together business, medical, and graduate students to collaborate in an effort to increase vaccination rates in Canada and globally. The conference featured keynote speakers, workshops, panel discussions and a research symposium. New this year was the introduction of the case competition in collaboration with the Telfer School of Management.
Human Rights and Peace
September 2018
This conference consisted of a Movie Opening Night with a screening of Bending the Arc, and a Networking Social, with keynote address from Mark Brender, National Director from PIH Canada. The conference day consisted of three nationally-acclaimed keynotes and 10+ interactive workshops, addressing topics pertaining to disadvantaged populations, as well as inequalities and inequities such as gender, age, culture, sexual orientation or gender identity, and migration status that exacerbate poor outcomes in health.
Global Health Opportunities
In addition to the AGHN Conference, the Global Health portfolio at uOttawa organizes many other events throughout the year, including our Annual Refugee Fundraiser, lecture series, and workshops promoting health advocacy. We also host speakers who have worked with international agencies, including Doctors Without Borders.
We strongly encourage all medical students to get involved with Global Health – whether it’s applying to be Global Health Assistant or a Local Officer, joining the Global Health Interest Group, or attending a lecture series and learning more about HIV/AIDS or maternal and child health. There are many ways to get involved! Feel free to contact the Vice-President of Global Health for more information.
New Publication!
Check out our new publication, titled "How to Be a Global Health Champion" by clicking on the book icon.
Our Team
Coming soon!