In August, eight medical students from the Universidad del Valle de México (UVM) visited the Zuckerman College of Public Health for a two-week ‘Global Collaboration, Culture, and Community Health Program’ that introduced them to public health programs, research, and community outreach.

Eight medical students from various campuses of the Universidad del Valle de México (UVM) joined us in August for two weeks at the University of Arizona Health Sciences campus to participate in a Global Collaboration, Culture, and Community Health Program coordinated by the Global Health Institute (GHI) at the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health (MEZCOPH).

The program included seminars and lectures from MEZCOPH faculty, staff and alumni. Students also participated in tours that gave them a detailed overview of Campus Health and the research programs at the Public Health Experimental Lab. In addition they completed the Primary Prevention Mobile Health Unit training to deliver health services, and participated in volunteer rotations at various community events. To experience current medical technology, students participated in simulation sessions at the Arizona Simulation Technology and Education Center in Tucson, the Center for Simulation and Innovation in Phoenix, and the Arizona State Public Health Laboratory. They also visited the Tohono O’odham Nation and the Pascua Yaqui Reservation to gain perspective on the diverse populations and healthcare systems of our state.  

The program provided the UVM students with an increased understanding of public health principles and intercultural competence. With guidance from GHI staff, the students worked collaboratively in pairs to design a community health program proposal that would address a specific health need for a focus population in their home region and presented their proposals on the last day.

Altogether, it was a very productive visit that established lasting connections with the students and the institutions. We want to thank our GHI leadership Gaby Valdez, PhD, and Roxanna Apaez for their work on this program, and thank our partners at UVM for making this international exchange possible. We look forward to the ongoing partnership between UVM and UArizona to promote public health education in the United States and Mexico!

You can read the story in Spanish published by UVM to learn more about the experience. 

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