Educational Program Implementation in Academic Global Health Partnerships

Authors

• John Kulesa, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Department of Pediatrics, 1 Gustave L. Levy Pl, New York, New York, 10029, USA; Kravis Children's Hospital, Division of Hospital Medicine, 1184 5th Ave, New York, New York, 10029, USA.
• Ian Chua, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Pediatrics, 2300 I St NW, Washington, District of Columbia, 20010, USA; Children's National Hospital, Division of Hospital Medicine, 111 Michigan Ave NW, Washington, District of Columbia, 20010, USA; Stanford University School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, 291 Campus Drive, Stanford, California, 94305, USA.
• Kathy Ferrer, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Pediatrics, 2300 I St NW, Washington, District of Columbia, 20010, USA; Children's National Hospital, Division of Hospital Medicine, 111 Michigan Ave NW, Washington, District of Columbia, 20010, USA.
• Terry Kind, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Pediatrics, 2300 I St NW, Washington, District of Columbia, 20010, USA; Children's National Hospital, Division of General and Community Pediatrics, 111 Michigan Ave NW, Washington, District of Columbia, 20010, USA.
• Lineo Thahane, Baylor College of Medicine Children's Foundation - Lesotho, Maseru, Lesotho; Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, 7200 Cambridge Street, Houston, Texas, 77030, USA; Baylor College of Medicine International Pediatric AIDS Initiative, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, Texas, 77030, USA.
• Elizabeth Nkosi, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, Lilongwe, Malawi; Kamuzu Central Hospital, Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Lilongwe, Malawi.
• Krishnaa Barun, Kathmandu University, Dhulikhel, Nepal; Dhulikhel Hospital, Dhulikhel, Nepal.
• Jeremy Kern, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Pediatrics, 2300 I St NW, Washington, District of Columbia, 20010, USA; Children's National Hospital, Division of Hospital Medicine, 111 Michigan Ave NW, Washington, District of Columbia, 20010, USA.

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

2-17-2026

Journal

Academic pediatrics

DOI

10.1016/j.acap.2026.103258

Keywords

Basic Qualitative Study; Capacity Building; Decolonization; Global Health; Interdisciplinary Education

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Global health (GH) partners from high-income countries (HICs) and low-/middle-income countries (LMICs) can overcome workforce shortages by increasing the scale and quality of educational programming. The authors sought to identify factors that influence educational program implementation in academic GH partnerships from the perspective of US-based physicians. METHODS: In 2021, the authors invited 36 US-based pediatric GH practitioners to participate in semi-structured interviews. The authors used an iterative and inductive general interpretivist approach to analyze interview data through the lens of Rogan and Grayson's conceptual framework for curriculum implementation in LMICs. RESULTS: The authors interviewed 20 (56%) of 36 invited participants and identified 9 themes in the data. Of those, key themes included: a) dissimilar training paradigms from multiple international partners in one host country; b) Western educators who have less knowledge of host-country systems and paradigms than regional educators; c) racism that leads to skepticism from donors and the scientific community; d) alternative commitments and priorities of host-country faculty; e) Tension and animosity that impair communication and collaboration between faculty from the US and the host country; and f) challenging work environment that affects trainee and faculty ethos. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights factors that influence implementation from US-based perspectives as a first step in gathering diverse perspectives. Themes depict the harmful effects of GH partners' well-intentioned tendency to increase HIC involvement when faced with implementation challenges. GH partners can use these themes to critically reflect on their implementation strategies early in program design.

APA Citation

Kulesa, John; Chua, Ian; Ferrer, Kathy; Kind, Terry; Thahane, Lineo; Nkosi, Elizabeth; Barun, Krishnaa; and Kern, Jeremy, "Educational Program Implementation in Academic Global Health Partnerships" (2026). GW Authored Works. Paper 8699.
https://hsrc.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/gwhpubs/8699

Department

Pediatrics