Global Health Certificate

Global health is an interdisciplinary focus of health care that really allows a practitioner to focus in on addressing health disparities as well as examining social determinants of health. It's not just about the international work, it's about understanding the intersection between the social determinants of health, research, practice, and how that impacts the work that we do. This is a program that was developed by health care professionals for health care professionals and for nurses and students who want to broaden their horizons as well as have an impact beyond the clinical setting. This experience allowed me to apply the knowledge gained in real-world setting as I practice now as a community health nurse locally and it also enhanced my understanding of health disparity, cultural competency, as well as resource-limited health care systems. It offers a unique opportunity through its global field experience where students engage in global field community activities and partner with non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders. And that's one of the unique aspects of the global health field experience because they are hands-on and they are right there in the community working side by side with these other professionals. Plus with the opportunity for students to be able to be engaged in case studies as well as presentations and seminars and lectures by guest speakers. This certificate program has significantly contributed to my personal professional growth. It also enhanced my career development. It equipped me with the skill to engage in global health initiatives as well as my ability to mentor students who are interested in global health. My plan after graduation is to work with underserved populations to identify and address the health care needs that are most important to them.