Clinical & Humanitarian Service Learning – Africa

Catalog description

This interprofessional course provides future healthcare clinicians the opportunity to develop and refine cross -cultural competencies essential for providing culturally responsive care in both local communities and global healthcare environments. Learners will engage in preparatory coursework throughout the semester, culminating in an approximately 2-week immersive experience in Malawi, Africa. Through guided reflection, group discussions, collaborative project development, and direct engagement with Malawian healthcare systems, learners will enhance their ability to adapt professional practice to resource -limited settings while maintaining ethical standards and cultural humility. Rather than focusing solely on direct delivery of clinical services, the experience emphasizes relationship -building, mutual lear ning, and the development of sustainable resources that honor local expertise and priorities. In partnership with World of Difference (https://www.worldofdifference.ngo/), this course employs a community -based global learning (CBGL) approach, moving beyond traditional “voluntourism” models of global health engagement, toward sustainable partnerships with local healthcare workers, educators, and community leaders. Unlike voluntourism models that prioritize short -term interventions and visitor experiences, the CBGL approach emphasizes long -term relationships, mutual knowledge exchange, and locally identified priorities. Participants will engage as learners and collaborators rather than as "helpers," recognizing and valuing the expertise, agency, and leadership of Malawian partners in addressing their community's healthcare needs.