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Global Health

The Global Health Section of the Department of Emergency Medicine is dedicated to improving health equity and the delivery of timely, high-quality emergency care worldwide.

 

Our mission

We envision a world where everyone has access to emergency medical care when and where they need it. We promote health equity by strengthening emergency medical systems and access to care for all patients through education, research, advocacy, and provision of clinical care.

 

Leadership

The Global Health Section, co-led by Kayla Enriquez, MD, MPH, and Anneka Hooft, MD, is a robust group of global health experts at UCSF committed to promoting and advancing health equity.

 

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Kayla Enriquez
Kayla Enriquez, MD, MPH

Director, Global Health Section
Associate Professor, Emergency Medicine

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Headshot of a UCSF Personal
Anneka Hooft, MD

Director, Global Health Section
Assistant Professor, Emergency Medicine

 

Members

Members of our section include:

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Headshot of Scott Fruhan
Scott Fruhan, MD

 

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Nivedita Poola
Nivedita Poola, MD
Current Global Health Fellow

 

 

 

 

 

 

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dees are seated at tables facing the speaker, while ceiling-mounted projectors and overheA presenter stands at a podium bearing the UCSF logo and speaks to an audience in a modern conference room. Two large projection screens display slides from the World Health Organization related to integrated emergency, critical, and operative care and a global strategy for health emergency response. Attenad lighting illuminate the room.

 

Education 

We partner with programs across the world to improve medical education and foster best practices in caring for acutely ill children and adults. We work together to train the physicians of tomorrow and expand our knowledge as the providers of today. Locally, our residents receive global health and cultural humility training in preparation for international rotations, working with diverse local populations, and for their future employment, no matter where they may practice.

Our section supports Global Health education within and across our institution. Many of our Global Health faculty teach for the UCSF School of Medicine's GME Pathways Global Health Pathway, a program that engages trainees to become equitable, sustainable partners in global health clinical practice.

The Global Health Section, in collaboration with the UCSF Institute for Global Health Sciences’ (IGHS') Center for Global Nursing and Global Affiliate Program, also hosts the continuing medical education (CME) conference Building a Career in Global Health. The course program is designed for all health care practitioners interested in starting careers in global health or integrating global health into their existing practices.

Within our department, we facilitate the Global Health Area of Distinction, which exposes residents in the Department of Emergency Medicine to global health topics and projects worldwide. We also help support our department's Global Health Fellowship, a two-year program that provides students a Masters degree in Global Health, in addition to global health education and career development opportunities. Many of our faculty also mentor IGHS Masters students in on their capstone projects.

 

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Kayla Enriquez poses for a photo at the International Conference on Emergency Medicine (ICEM) 2024 in Taiwan. She stands in front of a conference-branded backdrop featuring the event theme, “Glocalization of Emergency Medicine: Global Wisdom, Local Solutions,” and large “ICEM 2024” lettering.

 

Research 

Our section supports a variety of research and quality improvement projects aimed at optimizing the recognition, management, and treatment of acute health conditions in various resource-limited settings. As affiliate members of UCSF’s Institute for Global Health Sciences, we focus on enhancing research infrastructure to train and develop the next generation of global health clinician-researchers.

 

Projects

 

View a list of focus projects

 

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JBrown at WHO w Juma, Hendry

 

Advocacy 

As a World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre for Emergency, Critical and Operative Care, our physicians provide expertise and support to the WHO in various international emergency care projects. Through our strong partnerships with the African Federation of Emergency Medicine, Ministries of Health, public health departments, and non-governmental organizations, we leverage our skills and resources to shape health policy and set the standard for quality emergency care worldwide.

 

Visit Our WHO Collaborating Centre

 

 

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Healthcare providers participate in hands-on obstetric ultrasound training. A clinician scans a pregnant patient’s abdomen while colleagues review the ultrasound image on a nearby monitor, demonstrating point-of-care ultrasound instruction in a clinical setting.

 

Clinical care 

Our providers work in various clinical settings to provide care in times of need. Residents and fellows rotate internationally and domestically to gain experience and exposure to a variety of health care environments and disease conditions. We also host our international colleagues and trainees from Tanzania to foster sustainable collaboration and learning.