Global Health Residency Scholars Program

Request for Applications for Academic Year 2025-2026 

           Application Deadline: January 24, 2025 

The Emory University School of Medicine (SOM) Global Health Residency Scholars Program (GHRSP), established in 2012, includes a year-long curriculum consisting of monthly seminars and a one-month clinical rotation in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The program aims to provide residents and fellows from clinical departments with knowledge and practical experience in global health by building on the ongoing collaborations between Emory University and Addis Ababa University (AAU) and its main teaching hospital, Black Lion Hospital, and other AAU affiliate Ethiopian teaching hospitals in Addis Ababa. 

The GHRSP was established as a collaborative partnership and strives to be mutually beneficial for both AAU and Emory University. We aim to provide meaningful field experiences for Emory housestaff in which they can learn, contribute to local capacity strengthening and sustainable relationships, and are inspired to consider a career incorporating global health. To date, more than 171 residents and fellows and 72 Emory faculty have participated in the GHRSP. 

The one-month rotation in Ethiopia focuses on clinical education and teaching and is carried out in a collaborative fashion between the appropriate departments at Emory and AAU. Each rotation involves an Emory resident or fellow, accompanied by an Emory faculty member, working in collaboration with colleagues at AAU. The rotation in Ethiopia is structured to provide the Emory resident or fellow with learning opportunities, as well as opportunities to contribute to medical education and teaching of Ethiopian residents, medical students, and other trainees at AAU. 

The process involves pre-travel communication and planning with Ethiopian colleagues to establish clear expectations and specific objectives for the one-month in-country rotation. To conclude the program, the scholars will deliver concise presentations summarizing their work and experiences. 

Over the past decade, AAU and Emory have established a close working relationship through the GHRSP across many departments and divisions and welcome new departments or divisions interested in participating in this meaningful program. We are committed to working closely with our Ethiopian colleagues to continue to enhance our bilateral partnership focused on improving medical education, postgraduate training, and the delivery of healthcare.

1. Monthly seminars: Residents and fellows selected to participate in the Emory GHRSP will commit to attend monthly seminars. Residents will be expected to attend at least 80% of the monthly seminar meetings which will run from August 2025 through June 2026.
2. Case Studies: Complete online case studies from the Ethical Challenges in Short-Term Global Health Training prior to travel and participate in discussions of ethical challenges experienced by fellow residents during a dedicated monthly seminar session.
3. International rotation and faculty supervision: The international experience will consist of a one-month clinical rotation which will occur in Ethiopia, generally in Addis Ababa at AAU/Black Lion Hospital. Collaborations between AAU and Emory faculty are well established for a number of Departments. See list of Departments/Divisions with faculty who have traveled previously and have established collaborations with Ethiopia in the table below.                                                                                                        The Emory resident or fellow rotation to focus on clinical and educational activities and must be supervised by an Emory faculty member for at least 7 days (ideally the first 7-14 days) of the rotation.  
4. Report: GHRSP participants will prepare a report on the clinical rotation, summarizing experiences, teaching, lessons learned and contributions to medical training at AAU/Black Lion Hospital and will also present an overview of their work and clinical experience to the group.

1. Deadline: Applications for 2025-2026 academic year is due on January 24, 2025. 
2. Eligibility:
   • Participants in the GHRSP must be residents or fellows at the PGY-3 level or higher. 
   • Applications are open to residents or fellows at the PGY-2 level or higher level - who will be PGY-3 or higher level during the 2025-2026 academic year.  
   • Note: For the Emory Internal Medicine Residency, only residents enrolled in the Global Health Distinction Program (GHDP) are eligible to apply for the GHRSP. 
3. Good standing and department support: Applicants must be in good standing with their residency program and the Emory Graduate Medical Education Office. Applications require support from their Department and Program Director, documented by a letter that includes a commitment to financial support for travel and lodging during the 1-month rotation. 
4. Application Components: The GHRSP application must be completed via an online submission form (JotForm) found here and include the following components: 
   
   1. Personal Statement: A statement (max 2 pages, 1-inch margins, minimum 11-point font) outlining your motivation for participating, your interest and definition of "Global Health," expected goals and outcomes, and how your participation may contribute to efforts to improve medical and postgraduate education at the Ethiopian institutions, such as Addis Ababa University and Black Lion Hospital. 
   2. Curriculum Vitae: Include a brief CV.

   3. Three letters of support: Please note these letters of support should not be submitted by the applying resident or fellow but by the person writing the letter of support. The appropriate method of submitting these letters is explained in the online submission application here.

      • Program Director (PD):  A detailed letter of support from the applicant’s PD, indicating the support for the applicant, detail the structure of the rotation in Ethiopia including goals and objectives of the rotation, a statement regarding how the department/division will provide oversight and supervision during the clinical rotation in Ethiopia including Emory faculty supervision of the resident or fellow while in Ethiopia, along with a commitment to adhere to Emory GME requirements for international rotations.

      • Chair or Division Director: Letter of support should indicate support for the resident or fellow's participation in the GHRSP including allowing the resident or fellow to attend the monthly seminars and their commitment to support the air travel costs to Ethiopia and lodging costs in Ethiopia if the resident or fellow is accepted into the program. Resident/fellow salary support for the one-month rotation in Ethiopia will be supported by the SOM Global Health and Equity Office for those accepted into the program.  
        In addition, the letter should indicate support for faculty member’s time when traveling with the participants to Ethiopia. Faculty cannot use vacation time to support this rotation. 

      • Faculty: A letter from the Emory faculty member providing oversight during the rotation in Ethiopia

The above components of the GHRSP application should be submitted by January 24, 2025, via online submission using this link.  

For questions regarding the GHRSP including the application process, please contact the GHRSP Program Manager, Saiza Jivani (sjivani@emory.edu).  

For departments or programs that do not have established collaborations in Ethiopia, it is recommended that the program director, chair or faculty consult with the GHRSP Co-Directors prior to submitting an application.  

The selection of the residents to participate in the GHRSP will be done by the GHRSP Selection Committee comprised of Emory faculty engaged in the program.