Proposal for Fellowship Training in Pediatric Global Health

Abstract

The developing field of pediatric global health is at a critical point in time. After decades of improvements in child health, the decline in child mortality rates has slowed. Sadly, much of the previous success of community-based child health initiatives has been eroded by an era of HIV/AIDS, conflict, and poverty. Today, child mortality rates remain astonishingly high worldwide, with nearly 10 million children under the age of 5 dying each year, largely from completely preventable diseases.1,2 In light of these sobering facts, there comes an urgency for the development of leaders in pediatric global health who are adequately prepared to address the critical health needs of the world's children. Although there is clear evidence of growing interest in pediatric global health,3 few formal training programs currently exist to provide the requisite skills and mentorship for effective leaders. In contrast, other medical disciplines have long-established global health fellowships, including fellowships in international emergency medicine, internal medicine, and women's health. … Address correspondence to Brett D. Nelson, MD, MPH, Massachusetts General Hospital, Center for Global Health, 3 Longfellow Place, Suite 100, Boston, MA 02114. E-mail: brett.d.nelson{at}gmail.com