Global health minor gains traction

Author: Michael Suen

2007 Leahy Global Health Scholar Harriet Napier '12.5 spent part of her first semester volunteering at an emergency housing shelter for underprivileged infants in Romania. "I have experienced, first hand, children who have been denied their right to appropriate medical help because of governmental restrictions or a lack of money," wrote Napier, in her essay submission to the Global Health Council, the largest membership alliance dedicated to international healthcare and based in Vermont. "I want to help change these restrictions so that poor/orphaned children can have the same rights that other children do."

Napier and other students' advocacy of global health issues reflects a growing enthusiasm for the subject, at Middlebury and other colleges nationwide. As an interdisciplinary topic, global health investigates health problems and their impact on the world's political, social and economic situations.

On Oct. 17, Dean of Curriculum Robert Cluss outlined in a blog post on One Dean's View the possibility of formalizing such interest as an academic minor.

"There is a growing interest in pursuing global health as an area of academic interest at Middlebury," said Cluss. "Just last week, the Curriculum Committee approved a proposal for an Independent Scholar major in Medical Anthropology and Public Health."

Students have remarked on the subject's potential within a liberal arts framework.

"I feel like the field of global health really embodies Middlebury's values of global citizenship, service and interdisciplinary problem solving, kind of like a progressive liberal arts program," said Hannah Burnett '10, a global health independent scholar major currently studying abroad at the University College London.

The movement to make global health a minor is still only in planning stages.

"We brainstormed a list of courses that might be included, as well as the relevant faculty," said Marty Schnure '10.5, a founder of the Global Health Table lunch discussion group. "We are looking to organize a meeting with professors in the coming weeks."

Already this year, five students are applying for independent scholar majors with a focus on global health. Proposed curriculums draw from the sociology/anthropology, political science, economics, philosophy, geography and natural science disciplines, and also include a study abroad component focusing on healthcare research.

Similar programs are already offered at Brown University, Georgetown University and the University of California.

"Everyday we hear about malaria, avian flu, AIDS/HIV, and it's a huge problem, especially considering globalization," said Laurel Chor, an international health major at Georgetown. "More and more students across campuses are starting to realize we have to start doing something about it."

For the most part, faculty and administration response has been highly positive to the idea of a global health curriculum.

"The students that I have had the pleasure to talk to are extremely excited," said Cluss. "There also seems to be broad interest that fits well with our Liberal Arts Global Action mission. The faculty that I have spoken with have been supportive and are already working closely with students on planning curricula."

Students involved in the Middlebury global health initiative also applauded the subject's growing trend, both on college campuses and in society as a whole, citing its importance not only in improving healthcare around the world, but also in unveiling social, political and ethical problems.

"I think the growing popularity of this topic is imperative to many of the global issues at hand, particularly sustainable development," said Nora Hirozawa '11, a student planning her global health curriculum.

"I think the topic's increasing popularity is wonderful and long overdue," added Katherine Bass '11, another independent scholar awaiting approval. "Development can't happen without healthcare - people can't think about making money or fitting themselves into the pre-existing systems if they are sick and their children are dying."

"I think it also makes a lot of sense that health is becoming more central in the general social consciousness because of the growing rates of chronic disease in this country," she said. "Epidemics like diabetes and obesity that are crushing local and national health care systems are bringing to light the effects an unhealthy population can have on any community or state."

Beyond the academic realm, the Global Health Table, started last spring by Schnure, Burnett, Perrin Romine '10 and Maggie Bale '10, also provides a venue of discussion for interested students and professors with relevant experience. Averaging ten students weekly, the group plans to hold a Global Public Health Symposium, to further promote awareness in the College community.