Students participating in global health electives through the Office of Global Health Education have the opportunity to engage in immersive learning experiences across the world. Last summer several went to South Asia, including India, Nepal and Pakistan. These placements offered hands‑on clinical exposure, rich cultural exchange, and the chance to work alongside local partners addressing pressing health challenges in diverse settings. Through these programs, students deepen their global perspective while contributing meaningfully to community‑driven health initiatives.
New Delhi, India
Megan Ralfe went to New Delhi, India, through Child Family Health International, a program that offers global health experiences to undergrads, medical students and MPH students. Her observational program was public health oriented.
“I feel like it provided me with a holistic global health experience because I got to spend time in the public sector working with NGOs, as well as see a lot of interesting medicine when shadowing physicians.”
Megan says the program emphasizes the importance of experiencing the culture of India in relation to understanding patient care and highlighted work with a nonprofit cancer organization in New Delhi that provides palliative care to low-income patients with advanced stage cancer.
“The experience was emotionally challenging but impactful. I will undoubtedly practice medicine as a physician with more compassion and intentionality.”
Pokhara, Nepal
Jesse Kovacks travelled to Pokhara, Nepal. With interests that intersect family medicine and emergency medicine, specifically rural and wilderness medicine, Jesse first had his heart set on the Himalayan Health Exchange Program in India. When his plan fell through in May, around the time the Pakistan and India conflict was escalating over the Kashmir region, Jesse secured a rotation opportunity in Nepal at the Western Regional Hospital in Pokhara. There, he arranged a custom clinical experience in emergency medicine and general practice.
“I was able to shadow a physician who is dual certified in emergency medicine as well as being a general practitioner. I gained great experience manually measuring blood pressure.”
“It was also interesting to see patient care in different settings, and how providers worked to make it equitable.”
Lahore, Pakistan
Muaz Modan traveled to Lahore, Pakistan for a hands-on clinical experience caring for pediatric patients with congenital heart defects. He connected with the Pakistan Children’s Heart Foundation (PCHF) for this experience, whom he had previously collaborated with on a fundraising dinner supporting the construction of a new pediatric cardiac hospital. In Lahore, Muaz worked alongside a range of providers caring for these pediatric patients throughout both outpatient clinics and the perioperative setting. He gained valuable clinical exposure by practicing history-taking and physical exam skills, including identifying murmurs, and the use of ultrasound to detect congenital heart defects.
Beyond the clinical training, Muaz applied his Urdu in a medical setting and gained insight into how care is delivered in low-resource environments. He also developed greater awareness of how to communicate complex cardiac findings not only in accessible language but also with sensitivity to patients’ social circumstances, health literacy, and barriers to care. When in Pakistan, Muaz and his wife, who is a physician there, enjoy exploring the country’s rich culture and the scenic northern mountains.