At the University of Global Health Equity (UGHE) in Rwanda, I will continue a longitudinal collaboration focused on strengthening clinical education, procedural training, and research capacity in reproductive and obstetric health. This visit represents my fifth trip to teach at UGHE, reflecting an ongoing commitment to sustained partnership rather than short-term engagement. Through this work, I aim to support local clinicians and trainees in delivering high-quality, evidence-based care for patients experiencing pregnancy complications and complex reproductive health needs.
My primary activities will include bedside teaching, procedural instruction, and case-based learning with medical students, residents, and practicing clinicians. Teaching will focus on evidence-based management of miscarriage, pregnancy complications, and complex obstetric care, with an emphasis on patient-centered approaches that reduce morbidity and improve outcomes. By working directly with trainees in clinical settings, I hope to strengthen confidence and technical skills while fostering a culture of inquiry and continuous learning.
In addition to clinical teaching, I will collaborate with UGHE faculty and trainees to develop and advance research addressing key reproductive health priorities in Rwanda and the broader East African region. This includes mentorship in study design, qualitative and quantitative research methods, and dissemination of findings. Supporting locally led research is central to ensuring that solutions are grounded in the needs and experiences of the communities served.
This ongoing collaboration has been recognized nationally through my selection as a recipient of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists’ Martin-Peterson Scholars Global Women’s Health Award, which supports clinicians dedicated to advancing women’s health through international partnership and capacity building.
Medical students and clinicians in Rwanda will benefit through enhanced training in evidence-based obstetric and reproductive health care. Teaching future physicians is a key form of capacity building, strengthening the national workforce and expanding access to high-quality care. By supporting locally trained clinicians, the project helps build sustainable expertise that improves maternal health outcomes across communities.
The expected impact is strengthened clinical training and expanded local expertise in evidence-based obstetric and reproductive health care. Through bedside teaching, procedural instruction, and case-based learning with UGHE trainees, the project supports the development of skills that directly improve patient care. Because this is part of a longitudinal partnership—now in its fifth year—teachings build upon prior visits and relationships with faculty and trainees, reinforcing durable clinical and educational capacity.
Importantly, each visit also includes a Stanford resident or fellow whose travel is supported by Stanford. This allows me to model responsible, sustainable global health engagement for the next generation of physicians while exposing them to partnership-based capacity building. These experiences often shape their future commitment to global health and health equity.
The knowledge shared continues through trained clinicians who will apply these skills in practice and teach future trainees, creating a multiplier effect that extends well beyond my visit.
Returning to UGHE year after year has allowed me to become a small but consistent part of the education of successive classes of medical students. What began as an opportunity to teach obstetrics and gynecology has grown into something much more meaningful: the chance to return to the same institution, invest in its students, and contribute to the development of Rwanda’s next generation of physicians. With each visit, I am reminded that the impact is cumulative, built not through a single lecture or clinical encounter, but through showing up again and again.
Equally meaningful are the relationships I have built with UGHE faculty. Over repeated visits, I have moved from being a visiting faculty member to feeling increasingly like a trusted colleague. That trust has been built by returning consistently, developing a deeper understanding of the curriculum and local clinical environment, and responding to priorities identified by UGHE faculty.
