Courses

Although global health is improving in terms of rising life expectancies and overall decline in infectious disease rates, new challenges are arising. Noncommunicable diseases such as cancer, diabetes and dementia have become leading causes of death and disability. Industrial farming, climate change and urbanization are spurring the return of infectious diseases. More frequent outbreaks of these diseases are happening because pathogens can spread faster from one country to another as the world becomes more interconnected. Through lectures, discussions and case studies, students will examine how globalization, urbanization, consumerism, lifestyle and climate change intersect to influence health, sustainability and health equity around the world.

Course Director: Mark Wood, PhD
Email: woodmw@iu.edu
Phone: 317-209-4771
Primary contact for add/drops: Srikanth Kondreddy, PhD (skondre@iu.edu); Jennifer T. Baenziger, MD (jbaenz@iu.edu)
Home campus: Indianapolis/Statewide
Type of course: Online

Learning Objectives:

These learning objectives are aligned with IU School of Medicine’s institutional learning objectives of Systems-Based Practice, and Health Equity, Advocacy and Leadership.

By the end of this course, a student will be able to:

1. outline the roles and relationships of the major entities influencing global health and development.
2. categorize health-related targets within the Sustainable Development Goals according to global burden of disease, disease control priorities and health system platforms.
3. discuss environmental, economic and social determinants of global health.
4. explain how globalization, urbanization, consumerism, lifestyle and climate change are interconnected and influence global health.
5. compare and contrast inequalities among global populations.
6. explain how ecosystems, the economy and society are interconnected to influence sustainability.

Course activities: Course activities include lectures, assigned reading, seven discussions, two open-book exams, three case studies and a short sustainable development research report.

Estimated time distribution: 100% online. Students should be prepared to spend approximately 30 hours completing lectures, readings, discussions, exams, case studies and the research assignment.

Assessments: Assessments will include two exams (40%); six discussions (20%); three case studies (30%); and a sustainable development research guide assignment (10%).

Prerequisites: Successful completion of the first year of medical school and enrollment in the Global Health Scholarly Concentration

Interprofessional collaboration: No

Health policymaking is a complex process shaped by governance structures, stakeholder influence, cultural context, and political, economic, social and organizational conditions. This course introduces students to key concepts, theories and frameworks for understanding the policy process and provides a structured approach to analyzing global health policy. Using selected cases, students will examine policy problems, assess stakeholder and contextual factors, evaluate policy alternatives and learn to communicate their analysis effectively through a policy brief.

Course Director: Suzanne Babich, DrPH, MS, RDN
Email: smbabich@iu.edu
Phone: 317-274-3850
Primary contact for adds/drops: Srikanth Kondreddy, PhD (skondre@iu.edu); Jennifer T. Baenziger, MD (jbaenz@iu.edu)
Home campus: Indianapolis/Statewide
Type of course: Online

Learning objectives

These learning objectives are aligned with IU School of Medicine’s institutional learning objectives of Systems-Based Practice, and Health Equity, Advocacy and Leadership.

By the end of this course, a student will be able to:

1. demonstrate understanding of key terms and concepts related to policies and policy analysis.
2. summarize a common step-by-step approach to analyzing a specific global health policy.
3. compose a strong problem statement linked to an existing policy intended to address the problem.
4. analyze evidence, including the influence of stakeholder groups and the environmental and cultural factors that shape the political, economic, social and organizational policy context.
5. evaluate policy alternatives using established criteria to determine the best choice.
6. prepare a written policy brief that effectively communicates a complex global health policy analysis.

Course activities: Course activities include discussions and reflections; stakeholder exercises and analysis; a comparative analysis matrix; a final policy brief; and a final reflection paper.

Estimated time distribution: 100% online. Students should be prepared to spend approximately 30 hours completing readings, discussions and reflections, policy analysis activities and assignments.

Assessments: Assessments will include discussions or reflection submissions (20%); stakeholder exercises (10%); a stakeholder analysis (20%); a comparative analysis matrix (10%); a final policy brief (30%); and a final reflection paper (10%).

Prerequisites: Successful completion of the first year of medical school and enrollment in the Global Health Scholarly Concentration

Interprofessional collaboration: Yes. Medical students will have opportunities to interact asynchronously with students and practitioners from other health professions, including dentistry, nursing, public health, pharmacy, nutrition and dietetics, and other allied health professions, as well as students from disciplines such as the social and life sciences.

Global Health Diplomacy significantly contributes to domestic and international health security. This graduate-level course introduces students to the basic concepts of global health diplomacy, their relevance to effective global health leadership, and their application in practice across varied organizational settings around the world. Students will develop foundational skills in global health diplomacy, including negotiating health across multilateral, country and cultural contexts and understanding the roles and functions of domestic and international actors.

Course Director: Miguel Reina Ortiz, MD, PhD
Email: mreina@iu.edu
Phone: 317-278-0761
Primary contact for adds/drops: Srikanth Kondreddy, PhD (skondre@iu.edu); Jennifer T. Baenziger, MD (jbaenz@iu.edu)
Home campus: Indianapolis/Statewide
Type of course: Online

Learning objectives

These learning objectives are aligned with IU School of Medicine’s institutional learning objectives of Systems-Based Practice, Health Equity, Advocacy and Leadership, and Professionalism. 

By the end of this course, a student will be able to:

1. describe key concepts associated with the practice of global health diplomacy.
2. evaluate the social, political, economic and organizational conditions that shape the global context for health diplomacy.
3. analyze and critique prevailing systems for global health diplomacy.
4. demonstrate the ability to negotiate health across multilateral, country and cultural contexts.
5. discuss the domestic and international actors involved in global health diplomacy and their functions and operations.

Course activities: Course activities include an essay on a global health diplomacy topic, two case studies, a cross-sectoral negotiating for health activity, and readings and reflections.

Estimated time distribution: 100% online. Students should be prepared to spend approximately 30–45 hours completing coursework, readings, reflections and assignments.

Assessments: Assessments will include an essay (30%); two case studies (40%); a cross-sectoral Negotiating for Health activity (15%); and a reading and reflection journal (15%). 

Prerequisites: Successful completion of the first year of medical school and enrollment in the Global Health Scholarly Concentration

Interprofessional collaboration: Yes. The course will be offered in conjunction with public health students from diverse professional backgrounds, providing opportunities for students to interact and learn from one another through course assessment activities.

This course explores maternal and child health across the life course, from pregnancy and newborn health through childhood and adolescence. Students will examine the biopsychosocial, environmental and systemic factors that influence maternal and child health globally, as well as evidence-based interventions and policies designed to improve health outcomes. Topics include maternal mortality and morbidity, newborn and infant health, childhood disease and nutrition, adolescent health, and approaches to developing and evaluating equitable maternal and child health programs.

Course Director: Sherri Bucher, PhD
Email: shbucher@iu.edu
Phone: 317-274-3850
Primary contact for adds/drops: Srikanth Kondreddy, PhD (skondre@iu.edu); Jennifer T. Baenziger, MD (jbaenz@iu.edu)
Home campus: Indianapolis/Statewide
Type of course: Online

Learning objectives

These learning objectives are aligned with IU School of Medicine’s institutional learning objectives of Medical Knowledge, Systems-Based Practice, and Health Equity, Advocacy and Leadership. 

By the end of this course, a student will be able to:

1. analyze major theoretical frameworks used in maternal and child health, including the Three Delays Model, social-ecological model and life course perspective.
2. evaluate evidence-based interventions for improving maternal health outcomes, including reducing maternal mortality and morbidity.
3. critically assess newborn and infant health challenges, including prematurity, birth asphyxia, neonatal infections and breastfeeding practices.
4. examine child health issues affecting children ages 1–5, including infectious diseases, malnutrition and developmental milestones.
5. describe adolescent health priorities, including sexual and reproductive health, mental health and health risk behaviors.
6. apply monitoring and evaluation frameworks to assess maternal, newborn, infant and child health programs and policies.
7. synthesize knowledge across the life course to propose integrated, equity-focused approaches to improving maternal, newborn, infant and child health outcomes.

Course activities: Students will complete eight learning modules, each with required readings and an assignment. Activities include discussion boards, case analysis, a final reflection and a final exam.

Estimated time distribution: 100% online. Students should be prepared to spend approximately 30 hours completing course work, readings, reflections and assignments.

Assessments: Assessments will include weekly discussion posts (33%); a hypothetical case analysis (11.5%); a final reflection (11.5%); and a final exam (44%). 

Prerequisites: Enrollment in the Global Health Scholarly Concentration

Interprofessional collaboration: No