Developing Academic/NGO Partnerships to Enhance Global Health Projects

Mark Ryan, MD VCU School of Medicine Department of Family Medicine

Steve Crossman, MD VCU School of Medicine Department of Family Medicine

Jessica Evert, MD CFHI/UCSF Department of Family and Community Medicine

Micheal Stevens, MD VCU School of Medicine Department of Internal Medicine

Participants will be able to describe the challenges faced by short-term global health engagements in regard to sustainability, community relationships, and long-term impact.

Participants will be able to explain how NGOs can enhance the impact of short-term medical projects and global health education by providing longitudinal relationships with communities, dedicated relationship maintenance, and prioritizing the agenda of communities.

Participants will be able to describe the characteristics, logistical considerations and requirements of successful partnerships, and discuss four examples of partnerships between NGOs and academic institutions.

Participants will recognize ethical tenants that underwrite successful, sustainable, ethical partnerships.

Student and faculty interest: Altruism and service

Clinical experience

Research opportunities (teaching, clinical, public health)

Student outcomes and academic missions: More likely to enter primary care and work with

public insurance

More likely to work with underserved communities.

Transient participants Intermittent presence Insufficient preparation Lack of cultural awareness/competency Funding Relationship building and community trust

and buy-in Risk of “Duffel bag” medicine

Ongoing relationships with the community Longitudinal presence Participant preparation and project

facilitation Cultural brokers Fundraising

Aligned missions and vision

HOMBRE

Honduras: Pinares

Dominican Republic

Honduras: Norte

Initiated 12 years ago at VCU School of Medicine by first-year students

Now independent 501©3 non-profit organization with 12-member Board of Directors

Student trips to four sites every June (2 sites in Honduras, 1 in the Dominican Republic, and a newly-affiliated Peru site)

Approximately 35 medical student participants

Mission: To improve the health of underserved

communities in Honduras and other developing countries

To enhance the education of health professions students

Core values: collaboration in sustainable partnerships

service to others

humility and respect

students take on key leadership roles

fiscal responsibility

DR

Dominican Aid Society of Virginia

SOMOSFundación

Sol Naciente

Dominican Aid Society of Virginia (DASV)

501©3 non-profit with independent Board of Directors

Emphasis on direct medical care and establishing relationships with local Ministry of Health and nonprofit healthcare providers

SOMOS College of William and Mary’s Student Organization

for Medical Organization and Sustainability SOMOS embodies “an effort in engaged scholarship

that combines service learning, fundamental precepts, core concepts, a basic method, and a systematic approach to partnering to pursue long-term, small-step strategies to improve health and health-care in Paraíso, Dominican Republic”

Focused on community involvement, identifying and emphasizing community needs/agenda, and maintaining community relationships

Emphasis on student leadership and participation

Fundación Sol Naciente (FUSNI) Non-profit organization in the Dominican Republic in

1995, partners with Physicians for Peace and provides direct free or low-cost medical services to underserved communities in the Dominican Republic

Our Mission: To propel the harmonious development and integration of the people through the investigation and programs of Health and Education, in accordance with other related institutions, in the endeavor of creating a more just and fair society.

Medical care provided at a healthcare center in eastern Santo Domingo.

Partnership roles (since 2006): DASV primarily focuses on direct medical care,

supports healthcare provider participation, fundraising supports medication/supply purchasing, promotes connection with local healthcare system

SOMOS enhances knowledge of and relationships with local community residents, increases knowledge and understanding of community needs and relationships

FUSNI provides key logistic support in-country, including facilitating lodging, transportation, meals.

Pinares

Shoulder to

Shoulder

?Thundermist

Norte

Golden Phoenix

??

Sustainability Differing organizational cultures Staff changes Ethical challenges

Partnerships between academic institutions and NGOs enhance the safety, effectiveness, and sustainability of global health projects and the benefit of global health education.

These partnerships face many challenges, but a proper ethical framework including (x,x,x) increases likleihood of continued success.