A group of 41 medical students in both the College of Osteopathic Medicine and College of Human Medicine at MSU spent the first two weeks of August learning clinical skills and cultural competency at the Specialized Hospital of the University of Mansoura in Egypt.

On a program led by Professor Reza Nassiri, director of the MSU Institute of International Health (IIH), the study abroad course entitle Poverty-related Diseases allowed students to participate in clinical rounds with Egyptian medical residents in the mornings followed by lectures by Nassiri in the afternoons. Students rotated in clinical wards such as a diabetic clinic, OB/GYN, urology/nephrology, pediatric wards and more, while enriching and diversifying their medical education in a different physical and social setting.

"One of the challenges that faces a medical student going from preclinical years to clinical years of medical education is learning from textbooks and various resources provided within lectures to actually learning from a patient case presentation and clinical rounds," Nassiri said. "In addition, early clinical learning exposure could make understanding of medical care and disease management more tangible and geared toward critical thinking process."

Student evaluation of the trip showed a growing awareness of the social determinants of health in Egypt, an increased global perspective and an appreciation of cultural influences on health.

"Direct experiences, and perhaps even the tangential cultural experiences, transform the students who have them, inspiring more lasting and widespread efforts to improve the health and quality of life of people around the globe,: Nassiri said. The IIH is a focal point of MSU to promote global health interests and educational opportunities in global health experiences among students of the medical colleges.

For more information in the IIH, visit their website at www.msu.edu/~iih/.