Professionals and students gather at George Washington for Global Health Mini-University

Monday, October 12, 2009

(Washington, DC) The 9^th Annual Global Health Mini-University, hosted by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Center for Global Health at George Washington University, brought together a host of global health professionals and passionate students to engage in a daylong learning experience. Participants were treated to a diverse range of sessions, 61 in all with 5 brown-bag sessions, covering topics such as maternal and child health, infectious diseases, family planning, global health policy and health systems.

Fifteen students from the Global Health Network (GHN), a student association of master’s degree global health students at GW, volunteered to help make the day a success.

GW Department of Global Health faculty also contributed to the event’s success. Research professor Dr. Anne Peterson of GW and former USAID Assistant Administrator presented on her recent research activities surrounding the development and rebuilding of Afghanistan. Dr. Sangeeta Mookherji, Assistant Professor of Global Health at GW presented on tuberculosis and programmatic responses aimed at treatment and prevention.

The closing session featured remarks from Dr. James Shelton of USAID’s Global Health Bureau and Dr. Jim Sherry, chair of the Department of Global Health at George Washington. In the spirit of friendly competition and fun, presenters from the Mini-University offered “pearls,” or essential take home messages, and three GHN students took on Steven Radloff of USAID’s Global Health Bureau in a global health knowledge competition. GHN students held their own, with the trivia challenge ending in a tie.

In the end, everyone won. The event offered a rewarding learning experience, and “a great avenue for people from all disciplines and experience levels to come together to discuss and maybe even debate what is happening in the global health world,” noted Mini-University organizer, Chelsea Smart. 

For more information about the Global Health Network or to learn about ways to get involved with projects, contact ghnetworkGWU@gmail.com or visit www.ghnetwork.org