The Latest News from VIGH

Congratulations to the Class of 2021! We celebrate this year's Master of Public Health, Global Health Track students and recipients of the Graduate Certificate in Global Health. Class of 2021 Global Health MPH and Certificate Graduates

This year, 11 students graduated with a Master of Public Health (MPH) in Global Health, and seven received the Graduate Certificate in Global Health. Although official in-person Vanderbilt University graduations have been postponed to May 2021, the MPH Program held a virtual celebration for graduates and their families, friends, and mentors on May 8. The celebration included heartwarming presentations from students about their experiences in the Program and celebrated students who received awards. Congratulations, graduates!

Students in the spring semester of their second year of the Vanderbilt MPH program present their thesis to mentors, colleagues, fellow students, and guests. This year, the following students in the Global Health track will present their thesis findings. Presentations will take place in MPH Classroom #2600, Village at Vanderbilt (1500 21st Avenue South). See below for a list of Global Health students and their thesis topics. RSVP one week before the presentation(s) you wish to attend.  

Two Vanderbilt MPH Program alumnae have been named 2018-2019 Global Health Corps (GHC) Fellows. Grace Umutesi, M.P.H. and Shellese Shemwell, M.P.H. will both work in Rwanda during the upcoming year. Umutesi will serve as a Monitoring, Evaluation and Research Officer with Health Development Initiative, and Shemwell has been named Integrated NCD Program Quality Improvement Coordinator with Partners in Health/Inshuti Mu Buzima.

This year, seven students graduated with a Master of Public Health in Global Health, and 11 received the Graduate Certificate in Global Health. The week leading up to Friday's commencement ceremony involved several events celebrating this year's Global Health graduates, including a dinner and graduation reception.

Students in the spring semester of their second year of the Vanderbilt MPH program recently presented the work of their MPH thesis to members, mentors, colleagues, fellow students, and guests. This year, there are seven MPH students in the Global Health Track who presented their thesis findings. See below for the list of Global Health students and their thesis topics.  Beto Arriola Vigo, M.D. Qualitative Analysis: Community Involvement in the new model of care during Mental Health Reform in Peru

Vanderbilt Master of Public Health (MPH) students presented their practicum experiences at the 2018 Public Health Practicum Colloquium on January 26. Through posters and discussion, students presented their practicum experiences working and learning in public health organizations and settings. Click here to view photos of the 2018 colloquium, and read below for practicum descriptions from MPH candidates in the Global Health track.   

Vanderbilt University School of Medicine Master of Public Health (MPH) student in the Global Health track, Roberta Hutton, is completing her practicum and thesis work at the Central American Medical Outreach Foundation (CAMO) in western Honduras.  On her experience, Roberta writes, "At the Central American Medical Outreach Foundation (CAMO) in western Honduras I helped create an extensive monitoring and evaluation system for the nursing capacitation program at a local hospital through focus groups, interviews, data-flow analysis and protocol development.

Vanderbilt University School of Medicine Master of Public Health (MPH) student in the Global Health track and PRISM Scholar, Salesio Macuacua, M.D., completed his practicum at Barretos Cancer Hospital in Brazil.  The Vanderbilt Master of Public Health (MPH) Program is a two-year interdisciplinary program offered through the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health. The

2017 Vanderbilt University School of Medicine Master of Public Health Commencement and Receptions Congratulations to all!

World Malaria Day 2017, observed on Tuesday, April 25, seeks to raise awareness and highlight the need to close the gap in access to malaria prevention tools. While the burden of disease continues to decline, efforts to improve access to interventions that prevent, diagnose and treat malaria are needed to reach the Sustainable Development Goals of malaria elimination by 2030, especially in sub-Saharan Africa where malaria is most prevalent.

View photos from the 2016 Public Health Practicum Colloquium. 

Since returning to the United States from a three-month stint working in rural Guatemala, I’ve been thinking about how messy and random global health delivery—even when it’s really effective—can be. Specifically, I’ve been struck by the central role that luck or serendipity plays in achieving positive health outcomes. I’m talking about that moment when a patient walks out of the clinic and you sit back and think about all of the stars that had to align in order for that patient to get the care she needs.

The Vanderbilt Master of Public Health (MPH) Program is a two-year interdisciplinary program offered through the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health. The Global Health track is designed to educate innovative and effective public health professionals in the development and management of effective global health initiatives, to contribute to sound public health policies and practices, and to engage in meaningful partnerships with communities.

The VUMC Reporter interviewed current M.P.H. student Colby Passaro for a feature story on the Vanderbilt MPH Program.