Archives for April 2014

Awarding Student Leadership in Global Health at Dalhousie

April 23, 2014 Jennifer LeBlanc Leave a Comment

The 4th and final post in our series celebrating the many global health achievements at Dalhousie this year.

We are thrilled and honoured to be able to present the Dr. Ron Stewart Award for Student Leadership in Global Health at Dalhousie. This annual award recognizes student achievements through:

demonstrated leadership in global health
work experience with marginalized communities
engagement in global health research

We received so many inspiring student nominations this year and it was with great pleasure that we presented a very deserving student in the School of Nursing.

Amanda Carey

Recipient of the 2014 Dr. Ron Stewart Award for Student Leadership in Global Health

Shawna O’Hearn (Global Health Office), Amanda Carey (Nursing), Dr. Megan Aston (Nursing)

The Dr. Ronald Stewart Award for Student Leadership in Global Health is given to a student in the Faculty of Medicine, Health Professions or Dentistry who has demonstrated leadership in global health and a commitment to improving the health of marginalized communities during their time at Dalhousie.

This award honours Dr. Stewart’s personal, professional and educational support and dedication to global health, and the advancement of social capital worldwide. Dr. Stewart, a former provincial Minister of Health and Order of Canada recipient, has been enriching students’ experiences at Dalhousie Medical School for many years as a popular and accomplished educator, past director of the Medical Humanities program and a key champion for global health education.

This year we recognize, Amanda Carey, a nursing student who has made global health a part of her personal and professional life during her time at Dalhousie. Amanda exemplifies so many qualities that this award recognizes. She is an engaged and enthusiastic leader, she is a thoughtful and determined student, and she is a kind and respectful individual. We are certain that as Amanda advances in her career she will continue to carry and grow these skills to the benefit of all who have the pleasure to work with her.

Amanda graciously addressing the crowd on April 1, 2014

Amanda is also a graduate of the Advocates in Global Health Certificate Program which demonstrates her cumulative knowledge and experience in global health over the last four years. She is described as having a

genuine interest in and commitment to global health issues that is evident in all the work she does at both local and international levels

Amanda has been involved with the WHO/PAHO Collaborating Centre at Dalhousie, she was a participant in the Global Health Office Summer Program in The Gambia and Tanzania and was the local Halifax co-coordinator for the North American Mobility Project nursing exchange program.

Amanda has been involved in global health research projects at Dalhousie and has given her time to local programs focused on population health in marginalized communities. Her work on the Dalhousie School of Nursing Global Health Committee has earned her the title “inclusive leader” as someone who works hard, individually and collaboratively, asking tough questions and working toward effective solutions.

Congratulations Amanda!

Amanda receiving the Dr. Ron Stewart Award for Student Leadership in Global Health from Dr. Ron Stewart himself

We have so many students making global health a part of their education, professional practice and personal focus that it is always a difficult choice for our panel of judges to select a winner. We are so proud of the students and their commitment to their community, making positive changes and motivating others. Students are identifying problems and finding collaborative and sustainable solutions; they have bright and exciting global health futures ahead of them.

These awards are granted annually and we encourage you to nominate students, faculty and residents in 2015. Dalhousie in doing great work in global health and we are eager to continue to recognize these achievements! Look for our next Call for Nominations in January 2015.

To read more about these awards and past recipients please visit our Global Health Awards page.

Awarding Faculty Leadership in Global Health at Dalhousie: Dr. Bob Bortolussi

April 21, 2014 Jennifer LeBlanc 2 Comments

Post 3 in our series recognizing the many global health achievements at Dalhousie

Every year the global health office recognizes and awards global health leadership at Dalhousie through our global health awards: the Dr Ronald Stewart Student Award, the Dr John Savage Memorial Faculty Award, and the Dr Jock Murray Resident Award. These awards recognize an outstanding contribution to the global health community at Dalhousie through:

demonstrated leadership in global health
work experience with marginalized communities
engagement in global health research
mentorship in global health
promotion, development and enhancement of global health at Dalhousie

We have so many members of our community (Faculty, Residents and Students) doing inspiring work and making global health a part of their personal and professional lives it is wonderful to have this opportunity to celebrate these achievements.

For 2014 we are thrilled to recognize a member of the Faculty of Medicine at Dalhousie who is doing important and inspiring work in global health through his involvement in the microresearch program.

Dr. Bob Bortolussi

Recipient of the 2014 Dr. John Savage Memorial Award for Faculty Leadership in Global Health

Shawna O’Hearn, Dr. Noni MacDonald, Dr. Bob Bortolussi, Dr. John LeBlanc

The Dr. John Savage Memorial Award for Faculty Leadership in Global Health recognizes an outstanding humanitarian contribution to global health by a Dalhousie Medical School faculty member. It is named for Dr. Savage who was a former mayor of Dartmouth, premier of Nova Scotia and a family physician. Dr. Savage was also a champion of the need to promote healthy communities worldwide and had a long-standing commitment to global health projects in Africa with the Nova Scotia Gambia Association (NSGA). Dr. Savage also served on the advisory committee to the Global Health Office at Dalhousie University.

Shawna O’Hearn recounting the many achievements of Dr. Bortolussi

This award honours Dr. Bortolussi’s long and notable career as a paediatric clinical scientist and professor. He is described as a man who

has given unstintingly of his time both in Canada and in East Africa and has made this the major focus of his career…his contributions and collaborations with Canadian and African colleagues will have a lasting impact on global health research.

Dr. Bortolussi has been a mentor to countless clinicians and researchers and has developed resources to advance health research at Dalhousie and beyond. He spent a 3 month sabbatical at Makerere University in Uganda where he facilitated workshops on research methods. In collaboration with Dr. Noni MacDonald, he worked with faculty and students to develop innovate approaches to research for health care professionals at district and village levels. From this the concept of “micro research” was born.

Dr. Bortolussi addressing the crowd and discussing the origins or the Microresearch Program

Its aim is to mentor young researchers, especially those who might otherwise have no chance for research training, to investigate the questions that are locally relevant to their practice. This work has been well received and has resulted in dozens of graduates of the program. The partnerships have expanded to Kenya and Tanzania strengthening Dalhousie’s international presence in East Africa.

Bob is also one of the leaders working to grow a collective vision of global health at the IWK. His collaborative approach to working with residents, staff, faculty and researchers will help global health grow at the IWK and Dalhousie.

Dr. Ron Stewart congratulating Dr. Bob Bortolussi

Dr. Ron Stewart presenting Dr. Bob Bortolussi with the Dr. John Savage Memorial Award for Faculty Leadership in Global Health

Congratulations to Dr. Bortolussi! Look for the 2015 Call for Nominations coming again in January.

To read more about this award please visit our Dr. John Savage Memorial Award page.

To read more about Microresearch please visit their website.

Next up, our student award winner!

Global Health Through My Eyes: 2014 Photo Contest

April 14, 2014 Jennifer LeBlanc Leave a Comment

Post 2 in our series celebrating global health leadership at Dalhousie

As part of our celebrations on April 1, 2014 we also celebrated and recognized the photographic achievements of our students. Photographs evoke feelings, positive or negative, and shape our perceptions of people, places or events. Our students, faculty, residents, and staff often take photos during their global health experiences. Each photo, although representing just one moment in time, also speaks to a compelling story, a narrative of lessons learned, hope, inspiration and a continued struggle for equity at home and abroad.

The Global Health Office (with support from Dr. Lee Kirby and the Department of Bioethics as well as the many student reps from the Medical Humanities program) has been running a global health photo contest for a few years with the focus on promoting ethical imagery and creating awareness for how a single photo can impact both the subject and the viewer. Our photo contest is open to everyone; students, faculty, residents and staff and we are proud to showcase all the entries we receive. You will see these images, and may already recognize a few, in our promotional pieces such as posters, our website or even our social media such as this blog or our facebook page. As part of the global health photo contest, each submission is evaluated on the clarity of that relationship between the image and its intended global health message. It is clear that the Dalhousie community puts a lot of thought into the image composition and its message and we want to thank all our entrants who have given us both beautiful images and thoughtful stories!

We are also pleased to announce our 1^st and 2^nd prize winners for 2014!

2^nd place goes to Kerry McInnes for the image entitled “My heart lies in Ireland”.

My Heart Lies in Ireland by Kerry McInnes

Here’s an excerpt from Kerry’s submission: ” I think this photo is appropriate for a global health theme because it challenges the societal image and connotations we have surrounding the elderly. Rather than eliciting sympathy and pity, this photo invites you to share in this beautiful woman’s joy as she explores a country she has dreamed of visiting her entire life. Rather than portraying old-age, illness, and disability, this photo captures her youth, her health, and her ability.”

1^st place goes to Suzanne Clarke for her image “Now that I have seen”.

Now That I Have Seen by Suzanne Clarke

Here’s an excerpt from Suzanne’s submission: “If however, a health problem or general societal inequality is known and allowed to continue unaddressed ~ We do indeed become responsible. Improvements in global health can be made and I believe, are very achievable. First however, we must acknowledge them and accept responsibility for that knowledge.”

To see all 2014 submissions please visit the Global Health Office Facebook page.

Recognizing student achievement in global health: the advocates certificate program

April 8, 2014 Jennifer LeBlanc Leave a Comment

The Global Health Office held a very special awards ceremony on April 1st, 2014, to recognize a group of extremely dedicated and hard working individuals, our Global Health Advocates!

Class of 2014 Advocates in Global Health L-R Dr. Dan Boudreau, Brie Rehbein, Amanda Carey, Alex Hosein, Erika Lemon, Spencer Holowachuck

In 2012, the Global Health Office, with the support of our faculty mentors Dr. Dan Boudreau and Erika Burger, developed the Advocates in Global Health Certificate. Dalhousie students were already doing amazing work in global health, but something was missing. There was a need to tie together this hard work into something recognizable, and from this need, the Advocates in Global Health Certificate was born. This certificate was designed to recognize students’ achievements in global health within the Faculties of Medicine, Health Professions, and Dentistry; in order to promote the development of a global health curriculum, and to provide students with a holistic understanding of the issues related to global health. Students meet these achievements through faculty mentorship, education, skills development and public engagement. And by doing so, they become part of a network of students and professionals at Dalhousie committed to working within global health settings.

Students are given two years to complete the required modules which were developed based on the global health competencies presented through socio-economic, cultural, political, and ethical lenses.

This certificate has three overarching objectives:

1. To provide students with an educational framework to develop a robust understanding of global health. Students become familiar with the major forces affecting the health of populations transnationally, and understand the complexity of global health issues in diverse contexts.

2. To foster skill development in advocacy

3. To increase inter-professional learning opportunities in global health at Dalhousie University

Our 2014 graduates, met these requirements through a variety of initiatives: International electives in Tanzania, Ghana and the Gambia; language training (Swahili, Wolof and French); skills building sessions in housing, advocacy, gender, global health systems and African Nova Scotian health; and volunteering at the methadone clinic, participation on student global health committees, and the STI (sexually transmitted infections) Research Network.

We are proud to honour our third round of Advocates in Global Health. Five students graduated this year and each was presented, not only with a certificate, but with a global health related book to symbolize continued learning. The Advocates in Global Health Certificate is certainly not an end to the global health path of these students, but another well earned accomplishment along the way.

Congratulations to Amanda Carey (Nursing), Spencer Holowachuck (Medicine), Alex Hosein (Pharmacy), Erika Lemon (Social Work), Luke Wiseman (Pharmacy)

To find out more about this exciting program please visit our Advocates in Global Health page.

To read more about the global health competencies please visit the Canadian Federation of Medical Students website and their section on global health.

Due to the many great stories from our event on April 1st we plan to create a blog series for you. More to come shortly!