The Thomas Hall Scholarship honors rising leaders in global health dedicated to advancing health equity, fostering education, and exhibiting cultural humility while becoming agents of change. Established by Dr. Thomas Hall, a global health pioneer, the scholarship reflects his lifelong work improving health systems in Low-and-Middle Income countries and strengthening global health education.
Dr. Hall’s career encompassed clinical medicine, public health, and global health education, spanning decades of impactful work. He focused on major global challenges, including controlling U.S. healthcare costs, addressing population growth, combating HIV, and advancing rational health workforce planning. His efforts often overlapped, representing nearly a century of collective contributions.
A passionate mentor and advocate for student voices, Dr. Hall’s leadership in the Global Health Education Consortium (now the Consortium of Universities for Global Health) influenced many global health leaders, who credit him as a guiding force in their careers.
“Many people in resource-rich areas think they know all they need to know and resist considering or adopting practices used in other countries…but we can learn as much from them as much as they can learn from us.” -Dr. Thomas Hall
Global Health in Tarija, Bolivia
- Spanish Language Proficiency Development: Enhance your intermediate Spanish skills while interacting with patients and local healthcare providers in clinical and public health environments
all in Spanish. - Focus on Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs): Learn about diseases disproportionately affecting marginalized populations, with a special emphasis on Chagas disease, a prevalent and significant health issue in the region
. - Primary Healthcare Insights: Observe and engage with Bolivia’s universal health insurance system, gaining an understanding of its challenges, such as resource strain and accessibility barriers
. - Cultural and Socioeconomic Barriers: Explore the interplay of cultural and economic factors that shape healthcare access and delivery in a resource-constrained setting
. - Community-Based Health Learning: Participate in rotations in rural and urban settings, experiencing a comparative perspective on public health practices
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Global Health in Kabale, Uganda
- Planetary Health Focus: Gain exposure to the intersection of health, agriculture, and education, particularly through initiatives aimed at improving food security and nutrition.
- Primary Healthcare Experience: Work alongside healthcare providers in primary care settings and rural communities, observing the delivery of medical services in resource-limited environments.
- Community-Based Projects: Engage with local efforts that combine health interventions with educational and economic development programs.
- Innovative Approaches to Sustainability: Learn about practical solutions for addressing public health challenges tied to environmental and economic constraints.
- Interdisciplinary Engagement: Participate in activities that link health outcomes with broader social determinants, including community farming and educational initiatives.
- Cultural Immersion: Deeply experience Ugandan culture and community dynamics, gaining insights into local healthcare needs and systemic challenges.
Global Health in Durban, South Africa
- Clinical Rotations in Pediatrics and Surgery: Participate in rotations focused on pediatric medicine or general surgery in a community-based hospital, gaining exposure to managing conditions such as respiratory illnesses, diarrheal diseases, TB, malnutrition, neurological issues, and childhood cancers.
- Experience with HIV/AIDS and TB Care: Engage with healthcare systems in a region with the highest HIV incidence in South Africa, learning about treatment and prevention strategies for both HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis.
- Exposure to Urban Healthcare Challenges: Work in a busy urban hospital environment, addressing healthcare needs influenced by both historical inequities and contemporary public health challenges.
- Global Surgical Care Perspectives: Learn about the challenges of global surgical care, including access, quality, and delays in treatment, as well as the local approaches to overcoming these barriers.
- Cultural Immersion: Gain insights into Zulu culture and Durban’s diverse community, enhancing cultural understanding in healthcare settings.
- Referential Health System Structure: Observe how patients are referred across levels of care, from rural clinics to urban hospitals, within a structured health system emphasizing efficient triage and resource use.
Global Health in Mukono, Uganda
- Community Health Engagement: Learn from Village Health Teams (VHTs), local health workers who focus on preventive care, basic primary healthcare, and public health initiatives within their communities.
- Participation in Public Health Projects: Get involved in various community health initiatives, such as cookstove installations, improving water source protection, insecticide-treated net (ITN) distribution, and hypertension screening.
- Focus on Preventive Healthcare: Gain hands-on experience in strengthening preventive healthcare systems through collaboration with local public health teams.
- Exposure to Mental Health Initiatives: Participate in mental health education and outreach as part of a broader focus on community wellness.
- Collaborative Learning Environment: Work alongside local healthcare professionals and community members, gaining insight into health challenges and sustainable solutions specific to the Mukono region.
- Capacity Building and Health Systems Strengthening: Contribute to the training of health extenders and workforce to address last mile and village health.
Global Health in Puyo, Ecuador
- Cultural Immersion in the Amazon Basin: Experience life in a small town near the Amazon rainforest, gaining insights into indigenous cultures and local health practices.
- Exposure to Traditional Medicine: Learn about the interplay between Ecuador’s Ministry of Health and indigenous health systems, highlighting traditional medical practices in the region.
- Community-Based Public Health Initiatives: Engage with community health efforts aimed at addressing prevalent public health issues like chronic diseases and infectious conditions.
- Focus on Planetary Health: Understand how environmental factors influence health outcomes, especially in a region with rich biodiversity.
- Urban vs. Rural Health Dynamics: Explore the differences in healthcare access and delivery between urban centers like Guayaquil and rural areas near the Amazon.
- Spanish Language Skills Development: Improve your Spanish proficiency by interacting with local healthcare providers and community members in clinical and public health settings
Global Health in Quito, Ecuador
- Emphasis on Primary and Preventive Care: Engage in programs that prioritize preventative healthcare and primary care strategies in underserved communities.
- Public Health and Education Projects: Contribute to educational initiatives addressing local health challenges, aimed at improving health literacy and equity.
- Focus on Social Determinants of Health: Develop an understanding of the social, economic, and environmental factors influencing health outcomes and access to care in Ecuador.
- Diverse Public Health Perspectives: Gain exposure to public health strategies and approaches tailored to the unique needs of Quito’s population.
- Insight into Health Disparities: Explore inequities in healthcare access and outcomes among various communities in the region, fostering an awareness of global health equity issues.
Global Health in Delhi, India
- Public Health Advocacy: Gain exposure to programs addressing public health priorities such as sanitation, nutrition, and healthcare accessibility, particularly for vulnerable populations.
- Cultural and Social Insights: Learn about the intersections of poverty, health, and social systems in the Indian context, including initiatives for marginalized communities.
- Community Engagement: Observe efforts to empower local populations through education, vocational training, and social reform, with a focus on addressing systemic health inequities.
- Diverse Program Themes: Explore topics such as maternal and child health, hospital-based care, and the integration of alternative energy and waste management in health projects.
