Presented by the Des Moines University Global Health Department.

The debate over the value of short-term medical volunteer trips to poor countries is heating up. Some believe they are a wonderful opportunity for the privileged to learn while providing life-saving service to the poor; others believe they are a colonial venture with many possible harms to both parties. I embarked on the research for this book with the twin goals of obtaining mostly absent empirical evidence about this growing enterprise and magnifying the voices and preferences of host communities in the debate. This research—surveys, interviews, and participant observation in several countries—led me to delineate nine principles for maximizing the benefits of short-term volunteering, principles that can be applied to other fields besides health, and to domestic experiences as well. The following excerpts focus on two of those principles: the centrality of mutuality and of evaluation. —Judith Lasker

More information.

Target Audience

This course is open to all individuals interested in global health.

Objectives

• Recognize the benefits and harms of short-term global health activities in low and middle income countries.
• Summarize the characteristics of most effective and ethical programs.
• Analyze and evaluate existing programs for adherence to best practice guidelines.

Speaker

Judith N. Lasker, PhD
Professor Emerita, Sociology and Health Medicine and Society, Lehigh University

Relevant to the content of this educational activity, Dr. Lasker is an author and receives royalties from her book.