Using Simulation for Global Health Preparation.

Abstract

* Abbreviations: GH — : global health GHE — : global health education SUGAR — : Simulation Use for Global Away Rotations Participation in global health electives (GHE) by pediatric residents continues to grow. In 2013, more than half of residency programs in the United States offered international electives, and 1 in 15 residents participated in such an experience during that year.1 Pretravel preparation for these experiences has been established as a best practice and should include learning about diseases likely to be encountered, health and safety abroad, site-specific information, and strategies to address cultural differences.2 Unfortunately, of the 127 programs offering GHE in 2013, only two-thirds (66.1%) provided pretravel preparation.1 Increasingly, preparatory curricula are available ranging from online self-directed modules to standardized lectures with facilitator guides for faculty.3 Much of the focus is on medical knowledge including topics such as the management of tropical diseases. Although this knowledge is an integral part of pretravel preparation, in our experience, trainees note that the more common challenges they experience working in resource-limited settings involve emotional and ethical issues that emerge while abroad. As such, preparation that focuses solely on the acquisition of knowledge, but ignores the skills and attitudes needed to practice global child health, may be short-sighted.4 We wish to highlight the need for comprehensive preparation for GHE that goes beyond merely transfer of medical knowledge … Address correspondence to Michael B. Pitt, MD, Department of Pediatrics, M653, 2450 Riverside Ave South, Minneapolis, MN 55454. E-mail: mbpitt{at}umn.edu