36
COM Outlook . Spring 2014
GLOBAL CLASSROOM
International Medical
Outreach at NSU-COM
By Robin J. Jacobs, Ph.D., M.S.W., Director of
International Medicine and Associate Professor of
Preventive Medicine, Psychiatry and Behavioral
Medicine, Biomedical Informatics, and Public Health
NSU-COM has spent years building rela-
tionships with federal governments, health
care facilities, and nongovernmental agencies
abroad to facilitate global opportunities for our
students. In my role as director of international
medicine, I have developed and implemented
medical outreach programs to Ecuador, Viet-
nam, Peru, Bangladesh, and Argentina along
with input from the student body and the
faculty-run Medical Outreach Committee, in ad-
dition to other global health initiatives. These
programs aim to help students understand
health disparities both in the United States and
internationally, demonstrating constructive col-
laboration with other communities and nations
to improve health conditions.
Thus, this training involves learning about
health issues that transcend geographic bor-
ders and commonly present a greater burden
to medically underserved populations. Beyond
the provision of additional training sites for
our students and serving patients in need, the
broader goal of NSU-COM’s International Medi-
cal Outreach Program is to cultivate a long-
term exchange of resources and training op-
portunities with partner institutions overseas.
International experiences in resource-poor
settings introduce students to diagnosis and
management for a broad range of medical con-
ditions, often with unique pathology and acu-
ity that would rarely be encountered during
their clinical rotations. Additionally, exposure
In recent years, many
medical schools have
recognized the increas-
ing importance of global
health training. Approxi-
mately 25 percent of
U.S. medical students
graduate with some type
of international clinical
experience. While there
are many compelling
reasons to volunteer
abroad during medical
school, one of the most
common is the opportu-
nity to explore interests
and develop purposeful
career goals.
to medical systems with differing approaches
and expectations toward physician–patient
interaction may influence students’ attitudes
as future practitioners by building cultural
competency. Practical experience within the
medical and legal infrastructures of different
countries also allows for a more contextual
understanding of the anticipated changes in
U.S. health care, making student doctors bet-
ter equipped to practice in the new system
that will be taking effect as they graduate.
Additionally, participating in a medical out-
reach program can positively impact medical
students’ awareness of different cultural and
socioeconomic factors affecting health as well
as acquiring clinical and language skills. It can
build confidence in students regarding physi-
cal examinations and other procedural skills.
The inability to rely on extensive laboratory
testing, accessible consultants, and expensive
diagnostic imaging encourages them to think
critically and use clinical judgment in the field.
The benefits of international experiences
for a physician’s development have long been
recognized. There is evidence to support the
idea that medical students who take advantage
of volunteer opportunities abroad develop a
deeper appreciation for public health issues
along with professionalism and cultural sensi-
tivity, recognizing the importance of commu-
nication skills. Similarly, student doctors who
participate in international clinical rotations
Many students have reported that global outreach programs opened their eyes to
the vast need for health care in developing nations, realizing the potential they have
to help as future physicians. International volunteerism offers exposure to a variety
of clinical situations and learning experiences, probably the most valuable of which
is the enlightening cultural exchange that occurs between students and residents of
the host country—leaving a lasting impression on both sides.
