This global health and medical education trip will take place at the University of Global Health Equity Rwanda (UGHE), which is a global university based in rural northern Rwanda, founded by Partners in Health, as well as the Butaro District Hospital (BDH). Local and visiting faculty (a group of US Dermatology attendings and residents) will be partnering to teach in the medical school’s Dermatology clerkship, which will involve daily instruction (delivered through flipped classrooms, case-based discussion, laboratory practice and simulation) to medical students and trainees at the university. Additionally, we will engage in clinical education in outpatient dermatology clinics, where we will mentor trainees while providing care to patients.
We will be working directly with students and trainees at the University of Global Health Equity. These students come largely from Rwanda as well as the broader East African region. The population served by this institution and its clinics are patients from rural northern Rwanda.
The global burden of skin disease is significant, not only as primary cutaneous diseases but as presenting signs of severe systemic illness. This program provides core Dermatology training, including the fundamental concepts of morphological descriptions, to medical students and trainees at UGHE. Our expected impact will be the improvement of trainee clinical skills and patient care. This impact will be broad and sustainable, extending to the far-reaching effects that trainees will have while delivering competent, compassionate and equitable care to their patients.
My global health trip to Rwanda with the University of Global Health Equity was an incredibly fulfilling experience. It was a privilege to work alongside the bright and motivated medical students at UGHE and to contribute to patient care in both Butaro and Kigali. I was deeply honored by the warm welcome I received and grateful for the opportunity to teach and learn in such a collaborative environment. I believe that this partnership will have a sustainable impact—strengthening dermatological care for patients while enhancing training opportunities for students and residents alike.
Beyond the clinical and educational aspects, Rwanda itself was unforgettable. The country’s natural beauty and wildlife were awe-inspiring, but what will stay with me most are the people I had the privilege to meet, work with, and learn from. This experience was both professionally and personally transformative, and I am deeply thankful for the support that made it possible.
