GLOBAL HELTH

The Geisinger Pediatric Residency Program provides an enriched learning environment that has helped countless residents learn, develop and grow. One specific area of importance to our learners has been our commitment to Global Health training.  

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Geisinger has always been an active participant in efforts to improve the lives of children in distant locations.  For many years, Geisinger joined with several international groups to provide assistance in caring for children in Honduras.  Members of the Department of Pediatrics regularly made trips to the city of San Pedro Sula and La Entrada de Copan in Honduras to provide primary care services as well as initiate more advanced care for children.  Over the many years of service there, a number of children were referred back to Danville for cardiac orthopedic surgeries.  Other members of the Danville community became engaged and assisted in building infrastructure for the community.  Ultimately, a formal medical clinic was established with local providers, leaving Geisinger physicians to turn their attention to new sites for service. 

Since that time, Geisinger's Department of Pediatrics and Residency Program have engaged in a formal process to provide service while teaching learners the importance of being engaged in our global community.  Our program has sought sites where we can partner easily with local or other international groups to provide sustainable opportunities for care and education.  Over the last two decades, Geisinger residents have been able to participate in structured opportunities in a wide array of countries in South/Central America (Honduras, Peru, Guatemala, Brazil), Eastern Europe (Ukraine, Moldova), Africa (Kenya, Namibia) and Asia (India, Nepal, China).  

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The COVID pandemic unfortunately negatively impacted our Global Health Program, causing a two-year moratorium on all international travel. fortunately, the program is back up and running with current opportunities for residents this year in Peru and Guatelama.  

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The Global Health Curriculum has a very well delineated curriculum.  Much of the learning needs to be required before ever leaving Danville.  All participating residents are enrolled the on-line didactic program of the Institute for International Medicine.  Residents must complete the pertinent modules prior to engaging in any field participation.  Additionally, site specific information is discussed at group sessions that are part of the program.  The goals of the program include not only to learn about the various medical issues facing children in remote locations, but also to better understand how children are affected by poverty, lack of local resources, government policy, war, altered family structure, local customs and beliefs, and non-traditional care methods.  

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Our residents find the Global Health curriculum to be challenging but highly valuable.  The program offers them a much better understanding of the plight of children worldwide as well as insight into how they as individual providers can become engaged as the advance in their own careers.

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To read our most recent Global Health Report, click here.

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Below are some images from recent Global Health Trips: