Via the MHIRT program, the Tulane University SPHTM, in collaboration with Xavier University of Louisiana, provides training for qualified students in collaboration with overseas sites. Training is available in several research areas of great importance to health disparities populations in the U.S., including cardiovascular diseases, tuberculosis, refugee health, and perinatal, maternal, and infant morbidity and mortality.
Current training sites include Buenos Aires, Argentina; Lima, Peru; Havana, Cuba; and Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China. Training opportunities at each site are limited and available opportunities may vary each year.When applying for MHIRT, please indicate those positions for which you wish to be considered by ranking up to three choices. All summer positions are available during the months of June through August.
The following research opportunities are available for students applying for the Summer 2018
U.S. Mentor: Pierre Buekens, MD, PhD; W.H. Watkins Professor and Dean, Tulane University SPHTM
Overseas Mentors: Gabriela Cormick, MD; Jose Belizan, MD, PhD; Fernando Althabe, MD; Fernando Rubinstein, MD; Instituto de Efectividad Clinica y Sanitaria
Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Research Area: Research on the health of women and children in Argentina. The main focus of the research is interventions during pregnancy and delivery to improve maternal and child health outcomes. Students at the Argentina site will be involved in the different steps of a research project, such as data collection, data analysis, and manuscript preparation. Projects involve work at local hospitals that are participating in ongoing studies. Further information can be found here.
Student Level: Undergraduate (junior or senior) or graduate student.
Prerequisites: Conversational Spanish, intermediate level or above required; a background in biology, medicine, epidemiology, public health, or social sciences is preferred.
U.S. Mentor: Jiang He, MD, PhD; Professor and Chair, Department of Epidemiology, Tulane University SPHTM
Overseas Mentor: Yonghong Zhang, MD; Soochow University
Location: Suzhou, China
Research Area: Studies of the epidemiology of cardiovascular disease and stroke in China, along with associated conditions such as hypertension and diabetes.Scope of work mostly limited to analysis of large data sets. This program does not involve collection of new data or community-based research.
Student Level: Undergraduate (junior or senior), graduate, or pre-doctoral student.
Prerequisites: Previous coursework or experience in epidemiology and biostatistics is required. Some conversational Chinese or self-study/tutoring in basic Chinese language prior to travel is preferred but is not required.
U.S. Mentor: Richard Oberhelman, MD; Professor and Chair of Global Community Health & Behavioral Sciences and Professor of Pediatrics, Tulane University SPHTM
Overseas Mentors: Lilia Cabrera, RN, Asociacion Benefica PRISMA; Valerie Paz Soldan, PhD, Associate Professor of Global Community Health & Behavioral Sciences, Tulane University SPHTM
Location: Lima, Peru
Research Area: Students at the Peru site will be engaged with primarily qualitative data collection, analysis, and manuscript preparation. The 2018 MHIRT students will be exploring parental perceptions of gender norms during adolescence consisting of focus groups and in-depth interviews with mothers of 10 to 18 year-old adolescents. Interviews and focus groups will focus on their beliefs, attitudes, and practices around gender norms and how those views shape a parent's notion of "healthy adolescence" with respect to gender based violence, adolescent sexual and reproductive health, including HPV vaccination, and education.
Student Level: Undergraduate (junior or senior) or graduate student.
Prerequisites: Conversational Spanish, intermediate level or above, required; enthusiasm and interest in social issues; willingness to learn new tasks. Students are expected to be self-starters, independent, and driven. They will be monitored and supported by an in-country mentor and program coordinator, however students are ultimately responsible for their work products. Biology, psychology, gender studies, or a public health background are preferred.
U.S. Mentor: Arachu Castro, PhD, Associate Professor of Global Community Health & Behavioral Sciences, Tulane University SPHTM
Overseas Mentors: Pastor Castell-Florit, MD, Director, Escuela Nacional de Salud Publica (ENSAP); Maria Cecilia Santana Espinosa, MD, Maternal and Child Health Programs Coordinator, ENSAP
Location: Havana, Cuba
Research Area: Dr. Castro has led a Tulane SPHTM summer course in Cuba since 2012, and MHIRT students will accompany her and participate in her Cuba course during the first two weeks of their MHIRT program. This Cuba course is an overview of the public health system in Cuba and allows students to compare and contrast the Cuban system (which has many positive attributes, as Cuba's national health indicators are often better than the U.S. ones) with other health systems, including the system in the U.S. MHIRT students will remain in Cuba and will be housed at ENSAP for an additional 8-10 weeks to complete their MHIRT training program under the supervision of ENSAP faculty members. Their research will be directed based on opportunities available via the public health projects in progress at the time at ENSAP.
Student Level: Undergraduate (junior or senior) or graduate student.
Prerequisites: Conversational Spanish, intermediate level or above, required.
U.S. Mentor: Arachu Castro, PhD, Associate Professor of Global Community Health & Behavioral Sciences, Tulane University SPHTM
Overseas Mentor: Pedro Mas Bermejo, MD, PhD, Senior Researcher at Instituto Pedro Kouri (IPK; the Cuban National Tropical Medicine Institute)
Location: Havana, Cuba
Research Areas: Dr. Castro has led a Tulane SPHTM summer course in Cuba since 2012, and MHIRT students will accompany her and participate in her Cuba course during the first two weeks of their MHIRT program. This Cuba course in an overview of the public health system in Cuba and allows students to compare and contrast the Cuban system (which has many positive attributes, as Cuba's national health indicators are often better than the U.S. ones) with other health systems, including the system in the U.S. The MHIRT student based at IPK will remain in Cuba for an additional 8-10 weeks to complete their MHIRT training program under the supervision of IPK faculty members, focusing on "control of communicable diseases: the Cuban experience."
Student Level: Graduate student.
Prerequisites: Conversational Spanish, intermediate level or above, required. Some background in tropical diseases or public health preferred.
