The field of global health did not exist when current Duke students’ parents went to college. In fact, Duke’s Global Health Institute did not exist when the senior class first came to campus in 2005. As DGHI approaches its 20-month birthday in November, Director Dr. Michael Merson elucidates the emerging global health curriculum and distinguishes Duke from other universities.
The Chronicle: More and more colleges are offering global health studies. Are they all the same?
Michael Merson: Global health has galvanized student and faculty interest in many universities over the past few years, but there is not yet agreement on what the field encompasses. In fact, next month I will attend the first meeting of the new University Consortium for Global Health. One of our tasks will likely be to develop a set of core competencies for undergraduate education in global health.
TC: What is different about Duke’s global health programs?
MM: We focus our global health efforts on reducing health disparities-addressing the diseases and challenges that prevent large portions of the world’s population from achieving or maintaining good health. What makes global health unique at Duke is that it does not belong in just one school or one department. The global health educational programs we have-from the undergraduate Focus Program and Global Health Certificate, to the Third-Year Global Health Study Program for medical students, to the proposed Master of Science in Global Health-all follow an interdisciplinary approach…. We also offer many opportunities for students to take part in global health experiences abroad and to bring these experiences back to the classroom.
TC: How does the Institute involve faculty from various schools?
MM: The most pressing global health challenges we face today, such as AIDS and other infectious diseases, obesity, tobacco control, climate change and strengthening of health systems, can be most effectively studied through the lens of multiple disciplines….
We currently have six signature research initiatives that cut across the academic boundaries of schools… [including] Obesity and Cardiovascular Disease; Global Aging; Gender, Poverty and Health; Emerging Infectious Diseases; Global Environmental Health and Health Systems Strengthening.
These research areas engage faculty from multiple Duke schools and departments to address major current issues in Global Health from a broad, interdisciplinary perspective.
TC: Does the Duke Global Health Institute sponsor events?
MM: The Institute’s fall schedule of events reflects our broad interdisciplinary scope. We are co-sponsoring the Kenan Distinguished Lecture in Ethics Sept. 18; hosting Stephen Lewis, co-director of AIDS-Free World, Oct. 2; sponsoring a conference in November on Bioengineering Applications for Global Health with the Pratt School of Engineering; and organizing a symposium in November on Addressing Global Blindness with the Duke Eye Center.
Our University on Global Health Seminar series, co-sponsored with the Duke University Center for International Studies, will bring in 10 world-renowned leaders over the course of this year to present their work and facilitate multi-disciplinary dialogue.
