International Emergency Medicine and Health Fellowship

Overview

The University of Illinois is one of the first institutions who introduced a fellowship in International Emergency Medicine with the aim to provide training for expertise in management of international emergency medicine and health related issues.

The field itself developed out of a desire to extend available resources in leadership and experience to locations and situations that lacked the infrastructure or organization to address emergent health conditions. The role of international emergency medicine and international health as a specialty continues to expand, as the world evolves into a more global society.

Current International Emergency Medicine and Health Fellows
  • Naina Bhalla, MD
  • Renee King, MD

 

Mission

International Emergency Medicine and Health at the University of Illinois seeks to challenge and be challenged by the international community to engage in sustainable development of global humanitarian and emergency care efforts.

The program strives to provide an environment which supports efforts in humanitarian assistance, encourages development of further initiatives in international health and emergency care systems, and provides leadership and leadership opportunities to effectively administer such programs.

 

Fellowship Goals

  1. Comprehensive application of clinical emergency medicine concepts and skills in international health.
  2. Understand and apply the concepts of sustainability and capacity building in international emergency medicine and health.
  3. Develop the ability to assess international health systems and emergency medical care systems and identify pertinent health issues to aid in design of health programs that address identified needs.
  4. Develop the knowledge to evaluate the effectiveness and quality of international health programs.
  5. Establish network and skills for educational exchange, research, and funding.
  6. Develop administrative skills to organize and implement emergency and/or international health programs abroad and integrate them into existing health systems.

 

General Scope of Program

  • Field programs
  • Disaster preparedness local and international
  • International emergency medicine curriculum development
  • Humanitarian aid and relief work
  • Medical mission trips, i.e. Latin America
  • NGO, self-initiated programs, program directorships
  • Collaborative efforts with other fellowship programs
  • Research and academics
  • Disaster and triage systems
  • Demographics and health
  • Health education interventions
  • Health promotion, in Latin America
  • Situational reports
  • Educational programs
  • Fellowship, residency, medical students, and public health

 

Fellowship Structure

Training in the fellowship will allow the fellow to tailor their experience based on individual interest while providing a foundation for work in international emergency medicine and health. Areas of focus may include EMS system development, human capacity development, disaster response, complex emergencies, relief, international public health.

The structure of the fellowship is primarily divided into six general areas:

  1. Clinical: The fellow will work as clinical faculty in the Emergency Department at a University of Illinois teaching hospital. The fellow will be responsible for clinical work in the ED, as well as conference and/or grand round presentations.
  2. International field work: The fellow will be working abroad on international health projects. These international experiences are generally arranged by the fellow with supervision of the fellowship director. These experiences can range anywhere from evaluation/research, to basic health care/intervention, to implementing new training curriculums in different countries, to disaster or public health response. It is expected that the fellow will be able to generate, at minimum, a report from each project/trip. Depending upon coursework and clinical work responsibilities, the fellow may have up to 4-5 months of international experience.
  3. Didactic: The fellow during the course of the program will get exposure to the public health issues related to practice and international health through obtaining a masters degree in Public Health at the University of Illinois School of Public Health. The fellow will be responsible for the application to the condensed one year Professional Enhancement Program through the school. In addition, the fellow will attend courses specific to international health, including parasitology and health issues related to displaced populations.
  4. Research: Each fellow is required to become involved in some aspect of a research project during the program. Collaboration is encouraged with other institutions and/or other departments. Incorporated within the research arm is exposure to grant writing and aspects of obtaining funds for projects. The research experience should include international conference attendence.
  5. Administrative: The fellow will engage in administrative activity in the form of organizing, planning, and implementing different aspects of projects. He/she will also obtain experience through programs within other institutions.
  6. Language: The fellow will demonstrate efforts towards a language proficiency in a language of their choosing.

 

Duration of Fellowship

The fellowship is a two year program which incorporates the advanced degree, clinical emergency department responsibilities, and international field work. A one year fellowship is possible for those that have already received their MPH degree at the discretion of the fellowship director.

 

Appointment of Fellows

Fellowships are awarded for a two year period beginning on July 1st. Each fellow will receive an appointment at the University of Illinois College of Medicine as clinical instructor. The fellow will be responsible for 16 hours clinical and 4 hours non-clinical time and will be compensated according to that appointment. Benefits, CME, international travel funds, advanced degree tuition is budgeted.

 

Evaluation

The fellowship director, along with the department of Emergency Medicine will annually evaluate the fellowship curriculum as it relates to stated goals and objectives.

Evaluation of the fellows will occur on a biannual basis throughout the duration of the program. Clinical performance in the Emergency Department will be conducted as per the department guidelines. International fieldwork evaluation will be performed by the associated contacts.

 

Collaborations

As the development of International Emergency Medicine continues, we emphasize the cooperation with other institutions on projects and sharing of ideas. We have an ongoing partnership with the Johns Hopkins fellowship program in providing international related experiences for our fellows.

 

Initiatives

Our primary focus as an institution is on Latin America and the Carribbean. However, programs in other countries throughout the world exist. Past fellows have also conducted projects in Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe.

 

Present initiatives

  • Our major international project involves working with Pastoral de salud, a nongovernmental organization that has continued to provide health care in rural Guatemala through indigenous health promoters trained by a group of Maryknoll nuns/physicians. We have provided support in caring for patients, training health promoters, legitimizing the role of the health promoter, and observing the development of sustainable health centers in that region.
  • International Emergency Medicine Conference in Cuba, 2003, sponsored by the University of Illinois Chicago
  • FERNE, Foundation in education and research in neurologic emergencies, is a not-for-profit organization that has had involvement in Chile and South America.
  • Disaster relief in Grenada

 

Initiatives in Development

  • Dominican Republic, establishing a medical training program for health care workers.
  • Peru, international clinical field work in jungle hospitals and/or research centers.
  • India, disaster planning and management.

 

Application

Interested candidates must be residency trained, board eligible/board certified in Emergency Medicine. Candidates from other specialties, i.e. Internal Medicine or Pediatrics, may be considered. However, specific training in emergency medical systems may be required during the course of the fellowship. Candidates should have a strong desire to contribute to the field of international health. Deadline for applications January 1st.

Please send* a letter of interest, a brief personal statement, and a curriculum vitae to:

Janet Lin, MD, MPH
Director, International Emergency Medicine Fellowship
Department of Emergency Medicine
808 S. Wood CME 470
Chicago, IL 60612
Office: 312-996-4160
Fax: 312-413-0289
Email: jlin7@uic.edu

*can be sent as an attachment in an email document