World Blood Donor Day – 8 Facts About Blood Donation

June 1, 2016 Maria Wilson 1 Comment

The World Health Organization recognizes World Blood Donor Day on June 14th 2016. This year’s theme is “Blood connects us all,” with the tagline “share life, give blood.” This annual observance focuses on thanking blood donors, while highlighting the connections that are developed worldwide through the gift of giving blood. WHO also aims to encourage regular blood donors to continue giving, and to motivate potential new donors, by sharing the stories of people whose lives have been saved through blood donation [1].

Around 108 million units of donated blood are collected annually around the globe, with approximately half of these collected in high-income countries. However, only 62 countries obtain 100% of their national blood supplies from voluntary unpaid blood donors, with others relying partially on family or paid donors [2]. Thinking about donating? Here are 8 facts about blood donation, in hopes of increasing your knowledge, and encouraging you to donate!

The volume of one unit of blood is approximately 450 mL.

This represents about 1/10^th of all blood in the body [3].

The plasma from a blood donation is replaced by your body within 24 hours.

Even though a donation requires around 1/10^th of your blood, your body replenishes your stores pretty quickly! Red blood cells take a little longer to return to normal, needing 4-6 weeks for complete replacement [4].

A single blood donation can save up to three lives.

Donated blood can be separated into three different components: red blood cells, plasma, and platelets. These three components can go on to contribute to the recovery of three separate people – explaining how one unit can save three lives [5].

One victim of a motor vehicle collision can require up to 50 units of blood.

That means up to 50 donors contribute to saving the life of someone who has been involved in a car crash! Treatment for leukemia can require up to 8 units of blood per week. Patients undergoing heart surgery can need up to 5 units of blood during the procedure [6].

Your blood type determines who you can donate to, and who you can receive blood from.

People with type O- are universal donors, and people with type AB+ are universal recipients. See the chat below, assembled by Héma-Québec, to learn more about your blood type [7]!

Compatibility of blood types (Source: Hema-Quebec).

The most common blood type in Canada is O+.

About 39% of Canadians have O+ blood, which is why type O blood is most needed in Canada. However, O+ isn’t the most common blood type in every country. For example, A+ is the most common blood type in several countries, including Portugal, Sweden, and Turkey. B+ is the most common blood type in some countries as well, including Pakistan, Bangladesh and India [9].

On average, blood donations take 8-10 minutes.

A full appointment can take up to an hour, due to pre-screening and post-observation. A small amount of your time can make a big difference [8].

200,000 donations are needed by July 1 in Canada.

In order to achieve this goal, 20,000 new donors are needed throughout the months of May and June 2016 [10 ].

In Canada, you can find more information about becoming a donor on the Canadian Blood Services website.

Upcoming Global Health Office Events

May 24, 2016 Maria Wilson Leave a Comment

The Global Health Office has a busy month ahead. From celebrating global health leadership, to encouraging physical activity at Dalhousie, keeping reading if you’d like more information on our happenings!

A Celebration in Global Health Leadership

Tuesday May 31, 2016 @4-6pm

Collaborative Health Education Building (CHEB) Rm. 264

This evening will highlight global health leadership across Dalhousie University: from Local Global Health Elective students sharing their end of elective projects, to sharing the inspiring stories behind our Global Health Office Photo Contest submissions. We will also be celebrating our 2016 Advocates in Global Health certificate program graduates. Finally, learn more about what Promoting Leadership in Health for African Nova Scotians (PLANS), our international programs, and service learning have been up to! Light food and refreshments will be provided. To indicate your attendance, please RSVP with Eventbrite by May 27, 2016. For more information, check out the Facebook event.

Global Health Bubble Soccer

Monday June 13, 2016 @ 3-5:30pm

Dalhousie Wickwire Field

Enjoy bumping into your friends and co-workers at bubble soccer. Source: Jackthreads.com.

We would like to invite you to join us for an active afternoon of bubble soccer. What is bubble soccer? Check out this YouTube clip, or the photo above, for a few good laughs! Take this opportunity to learn a new skill and have fun with your colleagues. The cost is $100 per team of 5-7 players, or $20 per individual (we will find you a team if you don’t have one). Contact the Global Health Office at gho@dal.ca to register. Extra funds collected/donated form the event will go to Dartmouth North Community Food Centre. The Food Centre offers a welcoming space where people can come together to grow, cook, share, and advocate for good food. The organization also acts as one of the partners in the new Service Learning Program at Dalhousie Medical School.

As always, you can find out more about upcoming events on our Website, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Global Health Award Winners Announced

May 18, 2016 Maria Wilson Leave a Comment

The Global Health Office would like to congratulate our three 2016 Global Health Award winners: Dr. Gail Tomblin Murphy, Dr. Anca Matei and Maike van Niekerk. The winners of the Global Health Awards, presented annually, were announced at the Gold-headed Cane Award Gala on Saturday May 7^th. These awards are presented to individuals who advance 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 (Residents and Faculty only)
promotion, development and enhancement of global health at Dalhousie (Residents and Faculty only).

Dr. John Savage Memorial Award for Faculty Leadership in Global Health

Dr. Gail Tomblin Murphy.

This award was established in 2003 in memory of Dr. John Savage, a friend and colleague of the Dalhousie Medical School and a tireless champion of the need to promote healthy communities worldwide. A former physician, Premier of Nova Scotia and Mayor of Dartmouth, Dr. Savage had a long-standing commitment to global health projects in Africa with the Nova Scotia Gambia Association and other organizations. The Dr. Savage Memorial Award for Faculty leadership in Global Health recognizes an outstanding humanitarian contribution to global health by a Dalhousie Medical School faculty member.

This year’s recipient is Dr. Gail Tomblin Murphy, Professor in the School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Professions, and Department of Community Health and Epidemiology in the Faculty of Medicine at Dalhousie University. She is also the Director of Dalhousie’s WHO/PAHO Collaborating Centre on Health Workforce Planning and Research and the Inaugural Director of the School of Nursing’s Centre for Transformative Nursing and Health Research.

Dal’s designation as a WHO/PAHO Collaborating Centre is a major honour. Only researchers with a track record in a given field—including several years of international work—can earn the distinction. Dr. Tomblin Murphy has been building this expertise since she joined Dal’s Nursing faculty in 1990.

Dr. Tomblin Murphy has led projects in Brazil, Jamaica, Zambia and Nunavut. Her research involves planning for health systems and health human resources for populations facing health challenges like malaria, HIV/AIDS, aging and pandemic illness. Dr. Tomblin Murphy’s collaborative work has led to the development of theoretical and analytical frameworks for needs-based planning and service-based planning that have been utilized nationally and internationally.

Dr. Tomblin Murphy is constantly championing global health – whether it be at the community level, when visiting an orphanage or a rural health centre in Zambia, Brazil, or Jamaica or at the systems level, when meeting with government officials and other high-level stakeholders in Canada, the US or other countries. She has been a dedicated global health researcher, mentor and leader to students, faculty, and policy-/decision-makers here in Canada and internationally.

Dr. Jock Murray Award for Resident Leadership in Global Health

Dr. Anca Matei.

This award was established in 2010 to recognize excellence within residents who demonstrate commitment to global health as they advocate for marginalized populations and explore new ways to engage in clinical service, education and research in under-serviced populations in Canada and abroad. Dr. Murray is a world-renowned expert in multiple sclerosis, medical humanities and medical history. Dr. Murray is a former Dean of Dalhousie Medical School; Professor Emeritus at Dalhousie University and remains active in the Medical Humanities Program. He is an Officer of the Order of Canada and member of the Order of Nova Scotia. Dr Murray is a strong advocate for the values within global health.

This year’s recipient is Dr. Anca Matei. Anca began her residency in Obstetrics & Gynaecology in 2012 and almost immediately expressed a keen interest in global health. Within a year, she was asked to sit as a resident member on the Department’s global health advisory committee and has remained an engaged and important member of the group. Dr. Matei established that local global health was a critical component and soon formed a Global Health Interest Group, providing opportunities for residents to engage with vulnerable and underserved women in the Halifax Community.

Dr. Matei has orchestrated several education sessions on reproductive and sexual health at Adsum House and Phoenix Youth Services. She has also coordinated outreach work with the Refugee Health Clinic and the North End Community Health Centre. She has drawn her fellow residents into these initiatives and has repeatedly given her time, energy, and expertise at the local level.

Internationally, Dr. Matei has been involved with Kybele, a non-profit humanitarian organization which strives to improve childbirth safety worldwide. She has travelled twice with a Kybele team to Cape Coast, Ghana, to participate in quality improvement projects. She is currently on a six-week internship at the World Health Organization to learn more about how international health organizations can, and sometimes cannot, improve global health.

Dr. Ron Stewart Award for Student Leadership in Global Health

Maike van Niekerk.

Established in 2006, this award is presented to a student 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 the Dalhousie Medical School for many years as a popular and accomplished educator, past Director of the Medical Humanities program and as a key champion for global health education.

This year’s recipient is Maike van Niekerk, a third year nursing student who is a global health leader committed to community service and outreach in the field. Through a research project with Dr. Amy Bombay, she looked at the influence of historical trauma on the psychological well-being of Indigenous Canadians diagnosed with cancer. She presented at the World Indigenous Cancer Conference in Australia, as well as the annual American Psychosocial Conference in California.

She has also been a Canadian delegate at the United Nations Youth Assembly, been a speaker on Plan Canada’s Because I am a Girl Speakers Bureau, and sits on the Dalhousie School of Nursing Diversity committee.

In an attempt to make healthcare accessible for cancer patients across Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, Maike initiated Katrin’s Karepackage. This program is named in her mother’s memory, as she passed away from breast cancer when Maike was 15. Maike has raised over $55,000 by biking across Newfoundland and running 7 consecutive marathons in 7 days across the province.

She has been awarded the National Canadian Cancer Society’s Outstanding Youth Leadership Award, as well as the Newfoundland and Labrador Canadian Cancer Society Inspirational Achievement in Volunteer Youth Leadership. Moreover, Maike was a speaker at Dalhousie’s 2016 TedX, inspiring fellow students to get involved in taking leadership in global health.

Note: Award winner bios were taken from their nomination letters, and award descriptions were taken from the Dalhousie Global Health Office website.

IMU/IMG Welcome Lunch

May 10, 2016 Maria Wilson Leave a Comment

Since 1996, Dalhousie University has partnered with the International Medical University (IMU) in Malaysia. Each year, up to six IMU students are eligible to complete third- and fourth-year clerkships at Dalhousie University leading to a Canadian Medical Doctorate degree. Dalhousie University also offers an International Medical Graduate (IMG) program, where two qualified candidates who are newcomers to Nova Scotia are admitted to clerkship at Dalhousie Medical School. Once this program is completed, students are eligible to enter the first round of the CaRMS match as a Dalhousie graduate.

On Thursday May 5th, the Dalhousie Global Health Office held a luncheon to welcome our new IMU/IMG students. We would like to extend a warm welcome to the following new Dalhousie Medical School students, and wish them the best of luck as they transition to clerkship.

IMU Students

Abhinaya Yeddala – India

Chanaka Attygalle – Sri Lanka

Afnan Didi – Maldives

Howser Teng – Malaysia

IMG Students

Erika Tratz – Originally from Germany (resides in New Glasgow)

Daryush Kiamiri – Originally from Iran (resides in Halifax)

Said Msabaha (middle), Program Manager International Education Programs, welcoming new students.

Group photo! 2016 IMU/IMG welcome lunch attendees.

New IMU students at Dalhousie University (from left to right: Abhinaya Yeddala, Afnan Didi, Chanaka Attygalle, Howser Teng).

3 Reasons to be Excited About the 2016 Long-Form Census

May 4, 2016 Maria Wilson 1 Comment

2016 Census (CNW Group/Statistics Canada)

By: Maria Wilson

Global Health Office Outreach Assistant

I’m training to be an Epidemiologist, which loosely translates to “full-blown health data nerd.” So when I heard that Justin Trudeau and the Canadian Liberal government planned to bring back the mandatory long-form census after a ten year hiatus, I was ecstatic. As of May 2nd 2016, the long-form census has returned. Here are three reasons why I am excited for this data gold mine, and why you should be too! To view the Buzzfeed version of this article, complete with New Girl gifs, click this link.

1. Informed decision making is back!

In order to make informed decisions on policies and programs at all levels of government, and in the non-governmental sector, there is a need for reliable, accurate, up-to-date, comprehensive data. When the former Conservative government chose to replace the mandatory long-form census with the voluntary National Household Survey (NHS) in 2011, we lost an extremely important, representative data source. The 2011 NHS had a response rate of 74%, much lower than the 94% response rate for the 2006 long-form census. Furthermore, the 2011 NHS left out some small communities over quality concerns, and failed to accurately provide information on immigrant and Indigenous populations. Bad data leads to bad decisions. Re-instating the mandatory long-form census will take Canada out of the data dark ages, and back into the 21^st century.

2. More jobs for Canadians

The 2016 census will staff 35,000 jobs across Canada. Although these positions are temporary, the census jobs are ideal for students, those who work seasonally, and others wanting to supplement their income. With unemployment rates hovering around 7% this year, 35,000 jobs (even jobs that are temporary in nature), is good news.

3. Saving money

The tagline for the 2016 census should be “more for less.” On top of providing Canadians with better data than the 2011 NHS, the 2016 long-form census will also cost less (about $22 million less by the Liberal government’s estimates). How? A mandatory questionnaire is less expensive to administer than a voluntary version, because penalties for non-response lead to less non-response! This means that less resources will be needed for respondent follow-up. The 2016 long-form census is only being distributed to 1 in 4 Canadian households, compared to the 1 in 3 Canadian households surveyed for the 2011 NHS, while still maintaining a representative sample.

Although re-instating the mandatory long-form census is a key step toward informed decision-making, there is still plenty of room for improvement. For instance, trans/non-binary gender identities are not yet included in question E-2. In order to more accurately address the needs of the trans/non-binary population in Canada through policies and programs, we first need to know who they are. Hopefully in 2021, improvements will be made to the long-form census, resulting in an even better data source for Canadians.

Overall, kudos to Justin Trudeau and the Liberals for bringing back the mandatory, long-form census!

Global Health: Three Issues to Watch During Summer 2016

April 28, 2016 Maria Wilson Leave a Comment

By: Maria Wilson

Global Health Office Outreach Assistant

Another academic year is coming to an end. Thousands of Dalhousie University students are heading home for the summer months, but that doesn’t mean the global health learning has to end! We hope you continue your interest in global health, and to make things easier, we have compiled a list of three global health issues that we think will be “hot topics” during the summer heat. Look out for these issues in the media, in your travels, and even in your own back yard.

Zika virus

Zika virus has dominated global health news in 2016, and its coverage in the media will only grow with the Rio Olympics taking place in the country at the center of the outbreak – Brazil. This event, to be held in August 2016, will draw hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world – from athletes, to coaches, to spectators. Although mosquito control efforts in Brazil have been scaled up enormously in recent months, the risk of infection still exists [1]. Whether, and to what extent, Zika virus will spread to other countries through infected travelers remains to be seen.

Eradicating polio

Poliomyelitis, often referred to as polio, is a distant memory in most of the world. Since 1988, when the Global Polio Eradication Initiative was formed, polio case numbers have decreased by more than 99%. A cost-effective, oral polio vaccine (OPV) exists, and the Global Polio Eradication Initiative is on a mission to ensure that every child, worldwide, is immunized. There are currently only two countries where polio transmission has not been stopped: Afghanistan and Pakistan. With only 98 cases reported in 2015, eradicating polio in the near future is a very real possibility. Expect eradication efforts to go into overdrive this summer, in what will hopefully be the final push to make this disease history [2].

Mental health

Global health has its origins in targeting infectious disease threats, such as TB, HIV and malaria. However, the field of global health has grown to encompass so much more: from health systems, to non-communicable diseases. Expect mental health to receive increased attention in the months, and years, to come. One in four people in the world will be affected by a mental or neurological disorder during their lifetime, and 450 million people are currently suffering from such conditions [3]. The United Nations has recognized the importance of mental health by including it in the new set of 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) [4]. The World Health Organization and the World Bank presented to ministers of finance and development agencies on the expected economic, health and social returns from investing in mental health services in Washington DC earlier this month [5]. Important discussions are happening on this topic, let’s hope that policy action begins to take shape this summer.

The Health Association of African Canadians – Student Organization (HAAC-SO)

April 27, 2016 Maria Wilson Leave a Comment

Founders of HAAC-SO, from left to right: Akila Whiley, Michelle Patrick, Leah Jones.

The Health Association of African Canadians – Student Organization (HAAC-SO) was formed by Michelle Patrick, Akila Whiley and Leah Jones in the summer of 2015. Patrick is the Promoting Leadership in Health for African Nova Scotians (PLANS) coordinator at Dalhousie, while Whiley and Jones are both students at Dalhousie Medical School. Throughout the 2015-2016 academic year, this group has been involved in raising awareness of African Canadian health issues. We recently interviewed Jones and Whiley to learn more about HAAC-SO.

Who are the members of HAAC-SO exec?

Kristine Yarney – Secretary (Pharmacy)

Celeste Williams – Faculty of Dentistry Rep (Dentistry)

Cinera States – Faculty of Medicine Rep (Medicine)

Tiffany Richards – Member at Large (Nutrition)

Korede Akindoju – Faculty of Health Professions Rep (Physiotherapy)

Leah Jones – Co-Chair (Medicine)

Akila Whiley – Co-Chair (Medicine)

Michelle Patrick – Liaison to Health Association of African Canadians (Promoting Leadership in Health for African Nova Scotians)

What are the goals of HAAC-SO?

The Health Association of African Canadians – Student Organization (HAAC-SO) is a sub group of the Health Association of African Canadians (HAAC), which addresses African Canadian health issues and the systemic inequities affecting health. The goal of the student society is to bring students together from Dalhousie University, and beyond, to create a community of learning centered on Black health issues, career development and community engagement.

What events has HAAC-SO been involved with during the 2015-2016 academic year?

Since the start of the school year, HAAC-SO has been involved in a variety of events of awareness events, both at Dalhousie University and in the community. Some of these are listed below:

September 2015 – HAAC-SO Kickoff Social, Dalhousie Society and Volunteer Expo (recruiting new members)

October 2015 – Living Library (contributed a human “book” to educate attendees on ANS Health)

November 2015 – Pathways to Education (participated in a Health Education and Nutrition workshop with local youth)

January 2016 – Poverty Inc. screening and discussion at Dalhousie Medical School

February 2016 – Elephant in the Room speaker series, Talk About Health

March 2016 – Screening of Black Mother Daughter at Dalhousie Medical school featuring spoken word from Verena Rizg and Monique Thomas

April 2016 – End of year potluck

In your experiences with HAAC-SO, how have partnerships helped you to achieve your goals?

Throughout the year we have made many partnerships; from the Global Health Office, Human Rights Equity and Harassment Prevention Office and many local activists. This has made it possible to host successful events, by event promotion through their networks and financial support. We are thrilled to have had the opportunity to form these valuable partnerships as we are a new organization just getting off the ground!

Over the course of one year, HAAC-SO has managed to make a significant impact on Dalhousie campus. The Global Health Office can’t wait to see what this hard-working group has planned for next year!

From Dalhousie to Tanzania: An Interview with Queen Elizabeth Scholars Matt Jalink and Keisha Jefferies

April 27, 2016 Maria Wilson 1 Comment

The Canadian Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Scholarship Program (QES) aims to build a dynamic community of young global leaders in Canada and across the Commonwealth. Queen Elizabeth Scholars engage in projects both at home and abroad, encompassing international education, discovery and inquiry, and professional experiences. Queen Elizabeth Scholars undertake projects that provide meaningful learning experiences, with the potential to create lasting impact. Dalhousie University has teamed up with its partners in the Caribbean, Uganda and Tanzania to develop an international student mobility project, funded by QES, for current Dalhousie students and students in other Commonwealth countries looking to study at Dal. The Global Health Office manages the relationship between our partner associations and Dalhousie, collaborating with many units across campus, and within the QES network, to make these projects possible.

We recently sat down with two Queen Elizabeth Scholars who are both heading to Tanzania this summer, Matt Jalink (Intern) and Keisha Jefferies (Scholar), to learn about their projects.

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Matt Jalink

Keisha Jefferies

Tell us about yourselves in 30 seconds or less!

Keisha: I’m from New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, born and raised. I went to Mount Saint Vincent University to take a Bachelor’s degree in Biology. I decided I wanted to go into nursing, so after my Biology degree I came to Dalhousie. I worked for two years in the neo-natal intensive care unit (NICU) at the IWK Health Centre. After that, I decided it was time to go back to school and I enrolled in the Master’s of Nursing program here at Dal, and I am currently finishing up my first year. I’m in the health policy practicum as part of that program, so I’m looking to do some work around administration, policies and programming, both at the local and global level. I am interested in maternal and newborn health, which came from my experience working in the NICU. Outside of academics, I love to play basketball and do yoga.

Matt: I’m originally from Calgary, but I moved around a lot when I was younger. I did my undergraduate degree here at Dalhousie in Biochemistry. I had a pretty keen interest in health, but I wanted to get outside of the lab and experience research from a social perspective. This led me to the Master’s of Community Health & Epidemiology program at Dalhousie, which I thought was an excellent fit. I just finished my first year in that program, and I’ve really enjoyed it so far. I’ve completed all of my course requirements, so now I’m focusing on my thesis. I’ll be conducting research on pediatric respiratory tract infections. My interest in pediatrics was fueled by my previous experiences working as a camp counsellor and sailing instructor. In my spare time I’m an avid rock climber, and I enjoy playing pool as much as I can.

What projects are you undertaking in Tanzania this summer as QES interns/scholars?

Matt: I will be undertaking an internship with Pastoral Activities and Services for people with AIDS Dar es Salaam Archdiocese (PASADA). I had a meeting with my preceptor recently where we discussed potential projects. There is a project on tuberculosis and HIV co-infection currently underway, with a number of sites around Dar es Salaam participating in data collection. I will be involved with data analysis, and subsequently writing a report on the findings. I will also be drafting a number of proposals for future research studies that will hopefully begin during my stay. These projects will use qualitative research methods, and will be focused on pediatrics. One of the topics we hope to explore is non-compliance to antiretroviral drugs (ARV), and social factors influencing this non-compliance.

Keisha: I will be working at Muhimbili University of Health Sciences (MUHAS), where there is currently a qualitative study underway looking at nurse midwives’ and physicians’ perspectives on post-partum care in the community and hospital, using a feminist post-structural approach. I may be involved in the analysis piece of that project until it is complete. After that, I will be working on a research proposal related to the mother’s perspective of post-partum care in the community and hospital. That’s all I know at the moment, but my projects might change based on need!

What do you hope to accomplish and/or gain through these internships?

Keisha: I’m hoping to gain research experience. Coming from a practice background, I’m mostly involved with bedside nursing at the moment, so I don’t have a lot of experience in any sort of research (analysis, data collection, etc.). I haven’t done a lot of travel in the past, so I’m looking to gain some new perspectives related to different cultures, and ways of practicing nursing and healthcare. The work I will be doing has significant implications for the way we go about delivering maternal care throughout pregnancy, during the postpartum period, and for women in general. Although the work is focused locally in Tanzania, I think the concepts would be transferable here in Canada.

Matt: Similar to Keisha, I don’t have a ton of experience in research. It will be nice to apply a number of the course-based skills I have gained in a workplace scenario. I’ve always had a really keen interest in Global Health, and I’ve been fortunate enough to do some travelling in past, but any chance I have to travel more and apply my health interest to that is ideal. I love trying to pick up new languages and learn about new cultures, so while I’m there I’m going to try to build on the limited Swahili I picked up the last time I was in Tanzania. Despite HIV having a very prominent spotlight, there are some aspects that aren’t as well explored or researched. There is a fair amount of focus on biological mechanisms, and the pathophysiology of the virus, but my research will take a more qualitative approach. We will look at aspects such as how children born with the virus are living and dealing with a debilitative condition.

What did you do to prepare for this experience?

Matt: Through the Global Health Office there were a number of pre-departure training sessions that were very helpful. These sessions covered adapting to a new culture, living and working in a different healthcare system, and much more. I also took a Global Health course this year with Shawna O’Hearn through the MSc. Community Health & Epidemiology program, which proved very beneficial in learning about different healthcare systems – how to think conscientiously about your practices versus practices in different countries. I have been trying to become as fluent as I can in Swahili, so I can be more of an asset. Having been to Tanzania before is helpful in knowing what to expect when I arrive.

Keisha: Said Msabaha and the rest of the Global Health Office have been extremely helpful throughout this whole process. Like Matt mentioned, the pre-departure sessions were very beneficial. There is also a pre-departure workshop series that I just finished today on BBLearn. I’ve met with a fellow student who is doing her PhD at the University of Ottawa, and has been to Tanzania three times. We had a discussion on what to expect, and she gave me some tips and techniques! She has been involved with some of the researchers that I will be working with, and has been to MUHAS. I’ve also met with a few Dalhousie professors who have travelled to Tanzania to learn more about what to expect when I arrive. The Travel Clinic nurse was also very helpful in getting everything set up.

What do you think describes an effective partnership?

Matt: One key part of an effective partnership is communication – making sure everyone is on the same page. Ensuring you are respectful of each other’s ideas and practices, and understanding that the way you do something isn’t necessarily the way other people do the same thing.

Keisha: Definitely communication, and meeting people where they are. It’s not effective to try and impose your own ideas or beliefs on others. Embracing the differences and diversity that’s already there is key.

Why are you interested in Global Health?

Matt: Global Health combines two things I am really interested in: travel and health. Any opportunity you have to experience another culture helps us learn and grow. There are different practices, traditions, and ways to do things. Looking at health through different cultural lenses really interests me.

Keisha: I would like to become a global citizen and take this opportunity to enhance partnerships and relationships, as well as contribute to global maternal and newborn health. I’m really interested in learning what other people are doing, either differently or similarly, to what we do here in Nova Scotia.

Both Keisha and Matt would like to thank the Canadian Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Scholarship Program for funding their internships in Tanzania this summer. We wish them the best of luck with this amazing opportunity to grow and learn. Check back with our blog in September for a post-internship update!

The Canadian Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Scholarships (QES) is managed through a unique partnership of Universities Canada, the Rideau Hall Foundation (RHF),Community Foundations of Canada (CFC) and Canadian Universities. This program is made possible with financial support from the Government of Canada, provincial governments and the private sector.

2016 Global Health Office Photo Contest Winners Announced

April 19, 2016 Maria Wilson Leave a Comment

The Dalhousie Global Health Office would like to thank all those who submitted photos to our 2016 Global Health Photo Contest, and congratulate our winners Darrell Lewis (1st place) and Pamela Lai (2nd place)! Both winning photos, and their accompanying stories, are featured below. We will be showcasing the rest of our amazing entries on the blog throughout the month of April, so stay tuned! Submissions to the Global Health Photo Contest from previous years can be viewed on our Instagram account.

The 2016 GHO Photo Contest winner: Pediatric Shy-Eye Exam submitted by Darrell Lewis.

Darrell Lewis took this stunning photo in Accra Ghana in 2010. The 2016 Photo Contest winner depicts a mother and her two and a half year old girl during a rural village eye health screening initiative. Lewis has since gone into Ophthalmology Residency at Dalhousie, and cites international outreach as a major motivating factor in his career choice.

2016 GHO Photo Contest runner-up: The Tie of Love, submitted by Pamela Lai.

Our colourful 2016 GHO Photo Contest runner-up was taken by Pamela Lai in Kathmandu, Nepal in 2011. On the day of this photo, it was both a Hindu and secular holiday in Nepal – Janai Purnima (Hindu) and Raksha Bandhan (religious and secular). People from miles away had traveled for days to celebrate this important day in the capital. Mr. Joshi is seen offering new Janai to men, symbolizing their control of one’s “body, sense and mind.” He is also offering new Doro to men, women, and children, as it is believed to provide protection and good luck. The Doro is also used to celebrate the bond between siblings, biologically related or not.

Congratulations to Darrell, Pamela, and all those who submitted pictures and stories to our 2016 Photo Contest. There were so many amazing entries our committee had a tough time choosing two! Best of luck in your future endeavours! To all those passionate about global health and photography, we encourage you to start thinking of potential submissions for the 2017 Photo Contest. You could win awesome prizes, and have your photo featured on Global Health Office social media outlets.

From IMU to Dal, and Beyond: An Interview with Randy Aung

April 19, 2016 Maria Wilson 1 Comment

Dr. Randy Aung, second year MSc. Community Health & Epidemiology student at Dalhousie University.

Dr. Randy Aung, originally from Yangon in Myanmar, is a second year student in the MSc. Community Health and Epidemiology program at Dalhousie University. He is also a member of the Dalhousie Medical School Class of 2014, and began his medical education at the International Medical University (IMU) in Malaysia. During his time as a student at Dalhousie, Randy participated in the Global Health Office Link Program, and acted as an intern at the World Health Organization (WHO). We recently sat down with Randy to learn more about his Dalhousie experience.

What did your internship at WHO this past summer entail, and how did you discover this opportunity?

I was talking to Shawna O’Hearn (the director of the Global Health Office) and she mentioned that there is an opportunity each year for a few Dalhousie students to undertake an internship with WHO. I was interested in building my resume, and she connected me with the organizers. It was an unpaid internship, and although Geneva can be expensive, I think the experience was well worth it. You get to meet so many people from different countries, and also travel on the weekends.

I worked on two main projects with the SAGE (Strategic Advisory Group of Experts) secretariat at the Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals. The first project involved working with the Wikipedia Medical Director to incorporate all the WHO vaccine recommendations into their respective Wikipedia pages. The other project involved revising the 2015 guideline document for WHO vaccine position papers. For each vaccine-preventable disease, there is a ~30 page position paper where WHO recommendations are published. If a working group needs to prepare a position paper, they have to refer to the guidelines. The whole internship lasted for two and a half months.

Randy and the other 2015 WHO interns in Geneva.

How would you describe your experience at Dalhousie and in Halifax?

Halifax is a cool city. Before I moved, I had only lived in big cities like Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. When I was Googling it, Halifax seemed to be pretty small…but when I arrived here, I found that there are so many things to do. I really love the snow in the winter, as ridiculous as it may sound! Before I moved I had never seen snow.

The people here are really friendly, especially at Dal. When I was in medical school, everyone was very willing to help and reach out so you can succeed in your career and academic goals. For medical school, Halifax was a big change from Malaysia where I did the first part of my medical school. Malaysia has a completely different healthcare system compared to Canada. During my first clinical rotation, it took a while to get used to these changes. Once I got into my second rotation though, I was more familiar with how things worked in the hospital. I decided to do a Master’s in Community Health & Epidemiology (CH&E) because I didn’t have any undergraduate degree before medical school and I had no previous research experience. Evidence-based medicine is very important. Research studies come out so fast, and there are so many of them. You have to be able to critically appraise which studies are of good quality, and which ones are relevant to the patients you are seeing. CH&E really helped me out with that, and taught me how to appreciate good research.

What are your next steps, now that you are graduating from your Master’s?

I’m moving to New York. I’ll be doing my residency at Bronx Lebanon Hospital Center, which is affiliated with Albert Einstein College of Medicine. My residency in general pediatrics will last 3 years. I haven’t made up my mind on which sub-specialty I want to go into. I may end up staying with general pediatrics, but I am considering pediatric hematology/oncology or pediatric infectious diseases for my fellowship.

What type of research are you conducting for your CH&E Master’s thesis?

I’m working with Dr. Joanne Langley at the Canadian Center for Vaccinology. We are conducting a retrospective cohort study, looking at the incidence and clinical burden of lower respiratory tract infections in immunocompromised children. This involves a retrospective chart review.

Why are you interested in pediatrics?

First of all, I love kids and I love working with kids. You get to work and play at the same time, which is a great career! I find that kids are very resilient, and they really tend to improve after seeing doctors. This is different from some other specialties. Take older adults who present at an Emergency Department with heart failure or COPD. They get treated, but it can often be a cycle [in older patients], where it is difficult to see improvement. But for kids, they often get better, and that’s one of the main things that I love about pediatrics. You can make a very visible difference.

Could you tell us a bit about the Link program, and how it helped you to transition into your clerkship?

The Link program lasts about 3 months (15 weeks) and is designed by the Global Health Office for IMU students. We study for two and half years in Malaysia, then we transfer for third and fourth year at Dalhousie Medical School. The curriculum at IMU versus Dal are a bit different. There are some aspects that are not covered in Malaysia, such as psychiatry and pediatrics. We also didn’t have a lot of clinical experience in our first two years at IMU, whereas at Dalhousie during these years they have clinical experience weekly. The Link program is basically a transition period, where topics like psychiatry and pediatrics are covered, and we get to experience a four-week hospital rotation. We shadow doctors, like Dalhousie students do in the first two years of their medical education. It was a good transition, I couldn’t imagine myself going straight into third year without the Link program. I wouldn’t know what to do! The program also included an introduction to the Canadian healthcare system.

Do you have any advice for incoming IMU students?

One important thing to note is that there is only one province where you can do your residency in Canada after this program – Newfoundland. I would advise IMU students to take the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) before coming to Dalhousie if you’re interested in doing residency in the US. Clerkship can be busy, and you might not have as much time to study for, and take that exam during this time.

Note: Randy took a break between graduating from medical school and residency, and wrote the exam while studying for his Master’s degree.

Try to be outgoing, and enjoy what Halifax has to offer. The university culture is a bit different. In Malaysia, you don’t usually ask questions when you are face to face with your staff physicians. In Halifax, you are encouraged to talk and ask questions. Even if you don’t know all the answers, don’t be afraid to try and put yourself out there. It will help you grow and learn.

To learn more about the IMU partnership, please watch the Faculty of Medicine’s latest Youtube video (which features Randy at 3:27)!

Randy and friends during summer travels in Interlaken.

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