Would you like to intercalate?
Would you like to be part of a growing body of students
with a passionate interest in global health issues?
Do you know about Bristol’s
Global Health BSc?
rd
For intercalating medical students in their 3 , 4
th
or 5
th
year.
Run by the Centre for Child and Adolescent Health, School of Social and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine
in conjunction with the School for Policy Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences and Law
Introduction:
With increasing globalisation, the practice of medicine in the UK requires an
awareness of global health issues, of different diseases and different cultural
responses to illness. Many doctors spend part of their training abroad, and
global collaboration is a pre-requisite of the highest quality medical research.
The GMC, Tomorrow’s Doctors (2009) states that medical graduates must be
able ‘to discuss from a global perspective the determinants of health and
disease and variations in health care delivery and medical practice’. In response
we have developed a one-year intercalated Global Health BSc for medical
students.
This course is tailored to reflect the particular extensive
global expertise already present in Bristol University.
Bristol students have been involved at every stage of the
course development (the original proposal was an SSC
project!) and the course has been developed specifically for
intercalators.
Course Structure:
5 taught modules and a dissertation over one academic year
Teaching Block 1
Global Burden of Disease
Health Policy in a Global Context
Inequalities in health
Teaching Block 2
Conflict, Migration and Human Rights
Women and Children’s Health
Dissertation
Content of Course:
Unit 1: Global Burden of Disease (mandatory)
This unit will examine the current patterns of health and illness in different parts of the world and will introduce
students to both infectious and non-communicable diseases of global importance. Acute respiratory illnesses,
meningitis, TB, HIV, and malaria will be considered in detail. The likely impact of climate change on human health
is an important topic as is the relation between sanitation, water supply and disease. The changing face of global
disease related to greater globalisation will also be a recurrent theme. We include in this unit an introduction to
global mental health and consider the socio-cultural context of health seeking behaviour.
Unit 2: Health Policy in a Global Context (mandatory)
This unit focuses on health policy in a global context. The unit explores differences between countries in
reasonability for health care including finance and delivery. There will be an emphasis on the ways in which health
and health care systems in different countries have been shaped by the processes of globalisation and global
restructuring. The unit will conclude with an examination of the policy options for reducing inequalities in global
health
Unit 3: Inequalities in Health (mandatory)
This unit focuses on the links in health. Students will examine and critically analyse the indicators of social and
economic policy (such as GNP and HDI) and the affects of policy on health. After an introduction to definitions of
poverty, the causes, and ways of tackling poverty will be explored with particular reference to measures shown to
improve life expectancy. The unit will conclude by looking at inequalities in health experience, for example those
relating to gender, disability, class, and ethnicity.
Unit 4: Women and Children’s Health (mandatory)
Focussed on millennium development goals 4 and 5, this unit introduces the complex issue of gender and health
before considering in some detail maternal and child health issues. Topics covered include safe motherhood,
perinatal health, child nutrition, child rights, injury prevention and child disability
Unit 5: Conflict, Migration and Health
This unit aims to provide students with a basic understanding of
health issues affecting asylum seekers and migrants along with
reasons behind migration. Legal aspects pertaining to human right
abuses and economic rights to health will be explored. The unit will
also examine health issues relating to situations of conflict or
disaster such as the health response to a humanitarian emergency,
torture and gender and sexual health aspects arising from a conflict
situation.
Unit 6: Dissertation
In this unit students will have an
global health that interests them
their findings and critical analysis
literature review. We will suggest
there is a suitable supervisor.
opportunity to explore a topic of
in much more detail presenting
as a dissertation of ten thousand words. This will take the form of a detailed
some topics, though we would welcome students’ own suggestions as long as
Other Learning opportunities:
At the outset of the programme students will undertake an induction week of tutorials aimed at providing them
with skills for critical analysis and self-directed learning. Dissertation supervision is personalised to provide
students with continuing individual support whilst writing up during teaching block 2.
Specialist seminars are arranged throughout the programme and an active global health journal club further
encourages student analytical skills
Educational Methods:
Teaching will include workshops, seminars, tutorials and a journal club. Students will be expected to contribute to
the critical analysis of issues in the syllabus and participate in presentations and debates. Problem-based learning
and e-learning are embedded in the course to enable students to gain a thorough understanding of global health
issues. Literature and data analysis, writing and presentation skills are taught and practised throughout the
programme. These provide the student with transferable skills that will prove useful whatever your choice of
subsequent career.
Course Assessment:
Each module will have an assessment that must be passed for the BSc to be awarded. The units, Global Burden of
Disease and Women and Children’s Health, will be assessed by a presentation and three-hour exam; the
remaining units will be assessed by a 3,000 word essay. The dissertation is assessed by a 10,000 word thesis.
Course Aims and Outcomes:
Educational Aims of the Programme:
• To raise awareness of the importance of global health issues in medical practice
• To provide students with appropriate knowledge of global health issues
• To promote skills of critical evaluation and strategic thinking in global health
• To enable students to undertake relevant postgraduate study.
Programme Outcomes: To gain the award the student will have passed all unit assessments and demonstrated
the ability to critically evaluate and apply the theories taught on the global health degree.
Specifically the student will acquire knowledge and understanding of:
• Fundamentals and principles of global health studies
• The basic tools of analysis for global health topics
• Quantitative methods and computing techniques relevant to the study of global health
• The use of data, both quantitative and qualitative, relevant to the study of global health
• The relevance of global health to medical practice in the UK and overseas
• Application of specialist knowledge
How do I get a place on the course?
Places are limited to a maximum of 28. External students are also welcome to apply. Potential applicants will be
asked to complete a form detailing relevant experience/interest, as well as academic performance.
Contacts:
Programme Director: Dr Matthew Ellis
Programme Administrator: Mrs Sally Sterland
m.ellis@bristol.ac.uk
sally.sterland@bristol.ac.uk