Student-led interprofessional global health course: learning impacts during a global crisis

Area of Science:

• Global Health Education
• Interprofessional Learning
• Public Health

Background:

• Assesses the impact of the Interprofessional Global Health Course (IPGHC) on student knowledge and viewpoints.
• Explores the evolution of global health understanding, particularly concerning the COVID-19 pandemic.

Purpose of the Study:

• Evaluate the effectiveness of the IPGHC in enhancing fundamental global health knowledge.
• Examine changes in students' personal viewpoints on global health domains.
• Understand how students apply global health knowledge to real-world events like the COVID-19 pandemic.

Main Methods:

• Sequential explanatory mixed-methods design involving 99 selected students.
• Quantitative phase: Pre- and post-course surveys with 5-point Likert-scale questions to assess learning outcomes.
• Qualitative phase: Descriptive survey exploring course impact and COVID-19 reflections.

Main Results:

• Significant increases in mean knowledge scores across 11 global health topics, including Indigenous health, disease burden, and policy.
• Positive shifts in student perceptions of global health education importance and interprofessional roles.
• Qualitative data revealed enhanced definitions of global health and key themes regarding COVID-19, including policy, politics, and healthcare access.

Conclusions:

• Highlights the necessity of interprofessional global health education in universities.
• Demonstrates the rapid application of global health knowledge by learners to evolving contexts such as the COVID-19 pandemic.