Global Health

Global Health Scholars Pathway

Immersive Experience

The Global Health Scholars Pathway (GHSP) is an innovative approach that allows students and faculty to participate in global health. The GHSP is designed for those students who are highly interested in global health. The GHSP allows medical students to work together, both in the classroom as well as in the field. Supervised by faculty, the Global Health Scholars take part in two immersive trips. The first trip primarily entails an introduction to the community, and participation in developing a community health project. The second trip, occurring in the students' senior year, provides students with an opportunity to participate in clinical care at the same location.

Students receive pre-trip safety sessions, in-country medical education specific to the site, and several sessions by College of Medicine faculty on global and community health-related issues. Through this longitudinal relationship with the host community, it is our hope and expectation that students and faculty will be greatly enriched and the health and welfare of the people will be measurably improved.

Through completion of this four-year track students will receive:

Credit for completion of GHSP specific electives (GH717, GH727, GH747)
Mentoring relationships with highly interested faculty
Under the direction of faculty, students will gain skills for community engagement, basic health data collection and analysis, and community health intervention development with implementation. Students will be integral decision-makers in the program with the goal of measurably improving the health of the residents of the host community.

Important note: Scholars are responsible for their own funding to cover the costs of the trip. Travel costs can be approximately $2,500 to $3,000, if not more, for the month-long experience in the first year.

Australia: Melbourne and Mildura, Dr. Eileen Hennrikus, site lead, will accept up to 4 students

Balkans: Croatia, Dr. Nasr Ghahramani and Dr. Gisoo Ghaffari, site leads, will accept up to 4 scholars

Brazil: Sao Paulo, Dr. Robert Lennon, site lead, will accept up to 4 students

Ghana: Accra and Koforidua, Ms. Tamika Washington, site lead, will accept up to 8 students

India: Dr. Nirmal Ahuja, site lead, will accept up to 4 students

Nepal: Kathmandu and Bharatpur, Dr. Sanjay Yadav, site lead, will accept up to 4 students

Peru: Trujillo, Dr. Shane Sergent, site lead, will accept up to 4 students

Philippines: Iloilo City, Dr. Jasmin Lagman, site lead, will accept up to 4 students

Vietnam: Dalat, Dr. Tim Craig, site lead, will accept up to 6 students

Zambia: Macha, Dr. Andrew Freiberg, site lead, will accept up to 6 students

Rural Health Scholars: Pennsylvania, Dr. Leesha Helm, Dr. Amanda Vaglia and Dr. Michael McShane will accept up to 4 students

The Global Health Scholars Program (GHSP) is designed for first-year medical students at Penn State College of Medicine who have a strong interest in global health. Recruitment begins each August, when we open our application process for the academic year.

Applicants are selected through a competitive process that includes a written application and individual interviews with faculty site leaders and Global Health Center administrators.

Before applying, students are strongly encouraged to attend one of our Global Health Information Sessions, which are held in August and September. These sessions provide an overview of the program and introduce the unique experiences offered at each of our global partner sites. Additional details about dates and times will be shared in advance.

For questions or more information, please contact Tamika Washington, Assistant Director of the Global Health Center, at twashington4@pennstatehealth.psu.edu.

The application process for 2025-2026 will open in August.