The Health Equity track was created to address both global and local health equity issues, encompassing the idea that “Global is Local”. The purpose of the track is to empower residents with knowledge, skills, and experiences that they can use to advocate for health equity throughout their careers. The track provides a supportive environment through which residents can collaborate with Rush service initiatives and research, both locally and globally.
Our mission is to train culturally competent physicians to identify health disparities with the goal of improving health outcomes and eliminating health inequities, both locally and globally.
The core curriculum is the same for both branches of the track. The difference will come with the focus for clinical work and scholarly project.
PGY 1 | PGY 2-3 |
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Self-study curriculum | |
Quarterly meetings to discuss curriculum topics | Quarterly meetings to discuss scholarly project |
Journal Club | Journal Club |
Two weeks of time dedicated to experiential learning
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Two weeks of time dedicated to experiential learning
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One week of time dedicated to scholarly project | |
One week of time dedicated to home health and home visits | |
Presentation at noon conference or Grand Rounds |
Applicants will complete the following:
Candidates will be selected at the discretion of the division director.
Community Health Branch will have a focus on healthy equity in the community. Rush has had a strong commitment to the West Side of Chicago stemming from a deep desire to improve the health and well-being of our surrounding communities. Rush Anchor Mission Strategy outlines the efforts aimed at reducing the social, economic, and environmental inequities faced by individuals living on the West Side.
Inspiration is drawn from this commitment to provide Community Health Branch residents with the opportunity to work closely with Rush community partners. Experiences can be tailored to resident interests. Examples of experiences include COVID-19 immunization efforts, attending home-based primary care visits, assisting with providing non-emergency medical treatment services to individuals experiencing homelessness, spending time with the local public health department.
Each resident will develop and complete a scholarly project, which can be focused on research, quality improvement, education, or service. Guidance and mentorship for the scholarly project will be provided throughout the course of the Track.
The Global Health Branch is selectively offered to internal medicine residents and medicine/pediatrics residents who desire a broader and deeper exposure to service and learning in global health.
Health care providers from Rush have been supporting and assisting local communities in the Dominican Republic and Haiti to establish and sustain public health and medical services for the past sixteen and eleven years respectively. On site work occurs quarterly to foster continuity and sustainability within the communities. Teams are multi-specialty with volunteers from medicine, surgery, nursing, physical therapy, and pharmacy. Trip experiences are one week long in duration with opportunities to participate on both Primary Care and Surgical Trips. The goal is for time to be spent in both countries by the end of the track experience.
In addition to yearly travel, Global Health Branch residents are expected to complete a scholarly project. Examples of previous projects are:
For those residents interested in a Global Health experience, but are not looking for a three year commitment, we do offer a Global Health Elective which is a one time, two week experience. Of note, priority is given to Track residents.
Rush partners with the non-governmental organization, Community Empowerment, whose mission is to work with local leadership in underserved communities to provide essential health care, while fostering the development of self-sustaining health care systems.
We strive to provide yearly scholarships to residents to offset the cost of the trips (logistics and airfare). Residents should expect to pay $500-600 per trip.
Stephanie Crane, MD
Chief, Division of Community and Global Health Equity |
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Jennifer Towbin, MD Associate Director, Global and Community Health Programs |
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Octavio A. Vega, MD Director, Community Health Branch |
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Maggie Topps Senior Program Coordinator |
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The gallery below includes photos from our recent trips to the Dominican Republic and Haiti.