UNM Framework Program in Global Health

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Improvement in health for populations around the globe has become a leading international priority. As the world becomes progressively more interconnected, it is apparent that major global health burdens facing our international community will require an integrated approach that addresses political, socio-economic, cultural, legal, biological, and medical issues. Critical components of this approach include: (1) training future generations of global health researchers; (2) linking activities between centers in the US and the developing world; and (3) engagement of community stakeholders who are not formally part of the academic enterprise. One of the most important challenges facing global health education and research is bringing together individuals with diverse skills to create an integrated network that addresses the complexities of global heath issues. There is a critical mass of investigators at the University of New Mexico (UNM) to meet this challenge. The proposed UNM Framework Program for Global Health will bring together diverse faculty and leverage existing resources to create an integrated approach to research and training in global health. To accomplish this, a global health network will be formed between the School of Medicine and Public Health, College of Arts and Sciences, College of Pharmacy, School of Law, and School of Engineering/Computer Sciences. In addition, the Framework Program will provide research and training opportunities at a number of National Institutes of Health (NIH)- funded international sites currently operated by UNM faculty. The overall goal of the Framework Program is to create multidisciplinary educational programs, the first in the Southwest, that will facilitate global health research and teaching between multiple institutions at UNM and with our regional and international partners. To accomplish this, three specific aims with supporting activities will be pursued. First, multidisciplinary curricula for undergraduate, graduate, postdoctoral, and professional trainees, with particular emphasis on determinants of emerging patterns in global health will be created by three new course offerings. Second, a Global Health Certificate Program will be developed that incorporates intensive field training internships at our international sites to provide a practical complement to the didactic course offerings. Third, an administrative framework for enhancing global health research and education will be created by bringing together multiple schools and programs at UNM in the areas of medicine, public health, arts and sciences, pharmacy, law, and engineering. The Framework Program will also develop a full suite of distance learning opportunities to disseminate information to and foster participation from the New Mexico, Greater Southwest, and global communities. Finally, an annual 3-day Southwest Regional Global Health Workshop will be conducted at UNM to facilitate involvement of local community stakeholders and cultivate dialogue between the academic center and its community. Feedback from all participants in the Framework Program, both at UNM and at overseas sites, will be used by an Internal Advisory Committee, along with guidance from a panel of external experts, to assure that excellence in education and research in evolving areas of global health are developed and maintained at University of New Mexico. Public Health Relevance: Improved health for populations around the globe has become an important international priority. While life expectancy has made large gains in economically viable countries, little change has occurred in poorer nations based primarily on health inequalities between the rich and poor. Training and education with emphasis on the interdisciplinary nature of global health problems will be required to assure adequate numbers of global health researchers in the years ahead. This proposal aims to develop a comprehensive Framework Program for Global Health at the University of New Mexico which will bring together diverse faculty and leverage existing resources to create an integrated approach to research and training in global health, with potential impact on millions of people.