The why, where, and how of global health teaching

Global events seem to be impinging more and more on our daily lives. Terrorism, war in far off places, economic crashes causing stock market jitters—it is not a happy list. Many commentators argued that the events of 11 September gave a wake up call to the developed world, and the United States in particular, that there was a world “out there” full of poverty, injustice, and violence, which we couldnt divorce ourselves from. We needed to educate ourselves about the rest of world and particularly what was happening in poor countries.

We certainly do. But among medical students at least this process was already happening well before the events of 9/11—and it wasnt just because we need to understand why billions live on the margins of destitution. Many students simply wanted to know more about the fascinating range of cultures and societies that exist in the world around them, with which they are experiencing greater interaction.

In the health sector this interest has also arisen because, as the Director-General of the World Health Organization, Gro Harlem Brundtland, has noted: “The distinction between domestic and international health problems is no longer useful.”1 Developments in global trade and travel shift people, goods—and microbes—across greater distances and at faster speeds than ever before. Despite what are often ridiculous and unfair controls on immigration, Western societies have become increasingly multicultural as migrants, asylum seekers, and victims of torture come knocking on our doors. Doctors and other health professionals therefore need to know more about the world in general (and not just the patterns of disease …