Work In Progress: The Effect of Time on Student Attitudes and Interests Regarding Global Health Following an International Field Experience

摘要

A new global health course was recently developed and implemented at Western New England University. The course combines a traditional lecture component with a unique field experience that exposes students to healthcare challenges facing a foreign country. In order to assess the long-term impact of the new course on student attitudes and interests regarding global health, a set of surveys was administered to students at the completion of the course and one year post-course. The results from analysis of the surveys showed no statistically significant changes between student responses on the post-course and one year survey regarding knowledge, confidence in developing solutions, and interest in pursuing further studies or careers in global health. Additionally, student comments on the one year survey reflected high levels of enthusiasm for the subject and provided insight into the impact of the experience on the students over the period of one year.