Today’s citizenry and healthcare profession students are more keenly aware of the needs of marginalized people. I’ve noticed how educational institutions are rapidly developing curriculum and field experiences to match community and student expectations. As a result of such demand, however, health educators are grappling with how to best provide effective, relevant international healthcare training. Frequently cited challenges include:
• Identification of core curriculum and competencies across diverse institutions, accessible resources, and individual expectations
• Development of suitable partnerships with healthcare leaders in low-resource communities for the purposes of learning, service, and research
• Identification of qualified faculty for mentorship roles
For the last months INMED and I have been diligently developing the new Accreditation Council for International Healthcare Education (ACIHE). The intent is both to applaud the value of service to marginalized people and to provide useful guidelines and accountability to institutions developing educational programs for the benefit of such people.
Look in the very near future for ACIHE publications. I want to welcome healthcare educators from across the academic spectrum to join with INMED and I in this worthy endeavor.