Global Partnership Essentials
Global Partnership Essentials aims to prepare students for effective and culturally appropriate engagement in global health activities by providing a background in global health theory, key issues, and culturally appropriate practice.
We discuss one to two 1-2 landmark articles and case studies focused on global health, using the Partners in Health Engage Curriculum supplemented with other relevant articles authored by global partners and UVA faculty.
All classes are held at the Center for Global Health Equity in the UVA Corner Building, at 5PM, unless otherwise noted.
And DINNER? Always.
Who is this for?
GPE is available for credit as GSGS 4520, but you can join for any session.
The course is valuable for anyone planning to participate in an international elective and/or considering future career in global health and may be recommended by your course director (we especially recommend checking with your course directors for those planning clinical electives) but is open to anyone.
Global Partnership Essentials 2026-2027
SEPTEMBER 2026
September 1
Redefining global healthcare delivery
- Dahl, O. PIH Change Narrative: 1984-2010. 1-8.
- Reading: Farmer, P. (2010). Optimism and Pessimism in Tuberculosis Control: Lessons from Rural Haiti. In H. Saussy (Ed.), Partner to the Poor: A Paul Farmer Reader (pp. 195-205). Los Angeles: University of California Press.
September 15
Film screening / discussion
Savior complex, part 1
OCTOBER 2026
(Fall Reading Days October 3 - October 6)
October 13
Katy Quissell, PhD, MSc, MPH. Assistant Professor, Department of Public Health Sciences
Disability Stigma in Developing Countries
- Rohwerder B. (2018). Disability stigma in developing countries. Institute of Development studies, 1-26.
- https://med.virginia.edu/phs/2024/04/01/partnership-with-kuhenza-for-the-children/
October 27
Film screening / discussion
Savior complex, part 2
NOVEMBER 2026
November 17
Film screening / discussion
Savior complex, part 3
DECEMBER 2026
December 1
Journal Club
The global AIDS response
JANUARY 2027
January 5
Scaling up in global health: bridging the “know-do” gap
- Farmer, P. (2013). Chronic Infectious Disease and the Future of Health Care Delivery. N. Engl. J. Med., 369 (25), 2424-2436.
- Petros de Guex K, Augustino D, Mejan P, Gadiye R, Massong C, Lukumay S, Msoka P, Sariko M, Kimathi D, Vinnard C, Xie Y, Mmbaga B, Pfaeffle H, Geba M, Heysell SK, Mduma E, Thomas TA. Roadblocks and resilience: A qualitative study of the impact of pediatric tuberculosis on Tanzanian households and solutions from caregivers. Glob Public Health. 2023 Jan;18(1):2196569.
January 19
Case Discussion
Travel Health and Safety
FEBRUARY 2027
February 2
Journal Club
Structural violence and health equity at home
- Scott, J. (2005, May 16). Life at the Top Isn’t Just Better, It’s Longer. The New York Times, pp. 1-17.
- Drew Harris (2023, August 2). Deep Inside Mountains, Work Is Getting Much More Dangerous. The New York Times.
February 16
Case Discussion
Culture Shock
MARCH 2027
March 2
Case Discussion
Travel Health and Safety
March 16
Case Discussion
Ethics
March 30
Equitable global health training
- Are we training our students to be white saviours in global health? Ananya Tina Banerjee, Shashika Bandara, Joyeuse Senga, Nadia González-Domínguez, Madhukar Pai. Lancet 2023 Oct.
- Boissevain J, Richardson JW, Netshandama V, Dillingham R. The Quest for Ubuntu: Water and Health in Limpopo (WHIL) Partnership. Widening Partic Lifelong Learn. 2013 Winter;15(4):26-45.
APRIL 2027
April 6
Journal Club
Horizontal and vertical: challenges in approaches to global health
- Mills, A. (2005). Mass Campaigns versus General Health Services: What Have We Learnt in 40 Years about vertical versus horizontal approaches? Bulletin of WHO, 83 (4), 315-316.
- Guerrant RL, DeBoer MD, Moore SR, Scharf RJ, Lima AA. The impoverished gut--a triple burden of diarrhoea, stunting and chronic disease. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2013 Apr;10(4):220-9.
April 13
Case Discussion
Wellness
April 20
Equitable global health: the path forward
- Olusanya JO, Ubogu OI, Njokanma FO, Olusanya BO. Transforming global health through equity-driven funding. Nat Med. 2021 Jul;27(7):1136-1138.
- Farmer, P., Kim, J. Y., Kleinman, A., & Basilico, M. (2013). A Movement for Health Equity? A Closing Reflection. In, Reimagining Global Health - An Introduction (pp. 340-353). Los Angeles: University of California Press.
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People
The course is facilitated by the following faculty members and supported by the Center for Global Health Equity.
- Scott Heysell, MD, Associate Professor of Infectious Diseases, CGHE Director skh8r@uvahealth.org
- Marcel Durieux, MD, Emeritus Professor of Anesthesia durieux@virginia.edu
- Cornelius Normeshie, MD, MBA, MPH, Mandela Washington Fellow (Leadership in Public Management), Clinical Research Project Manager, Dept. of Family Medicine, University of Virginia School of Medicine fun7be@uvahealth.org
- Awar Biong, MS, GPE Teaching Assistant and CGHE Associate amb5gv@virginia.edu