Medical Alumni Loyalty Fund Global Enrichment Fellowship

Background

The Medical Alumni Loyalty Fund is the annual fund of the UNC Medical Alumni Association that provides resources designated primarily for medical student scholarships and educational activities, and is a dependable source of funding with the flexibility to be allocated as the needs of the students and institution change. The Loyalty Fund ultimately supports the programs that alumni consider most important in maintaining academic excellence and enhancing the medical student experience. With more and more students interested in global health, the Loyalty Fund through generous donations from UNC medical alumni is providing $4,500 for two annual financial fellowships for MS1 students to undertake a global health elective. This will be coordinated through the Office of International Activities, and the awarded students will work closely with a UNC medical faculty mentor in selecting a placement site and defining educational objectives. Students who undertake international elective opportunities during medical school often incorporate their learning into their career in important ways, including increased emphasis on care of the underserved wherever they practice, increased sensitivity to cross-cultural issues in medicine, and leadership in public health and health care systems. This global enrichment fellowship will offer two MS1 students this opportunity each year.

Process

Information and the application for the Medical Alumni Loyalty Fund Global Enrichment Fellowship will be available through the OIA website (www.med.unc.edu/oia). Applications will be submitted to the Office of International Activities and reviewed by the Fellowship Selection Committee composed of UNC medical faculty, and representatives from the Office of Student Affairs and the Office of Medical Alumni Affairs. Members of the committee are selected based on their interest in international medicine and knowledge of medical education. All students applying would necessarily be in good academic standing, have the appropriate letters of recommendation from faculty, and be committed to following the processes required for global health electives, including: defining objectives of the learning experience and any potential projects or research (including IRB approval), orientation to travel health and safety, obtaining evacuation insurance through the OIA, signing the UNC Travel Waiver Policy, and working with a UNC faculty mentor for academic credit for this elective experience. The OIA will oversee the fellowship awardees through this process. On completion of their international elective, students would be expected to submit a brief paper/report detailing their experience and its impact on their medical education to the Office of Medical Alumni Affairs and, if requested, discuss their experience with the Associate Dean of Alumni Affairs.

Awards

Each year, two outstanding first year UNC medical students will be selected as Medical Alumni Loyalty Fund Global Enrichment Fellows. Fellows will be funded to pursue a global health elective in the summer before starting second year. Applicants design and plan an activity that allows them to experience or investigate an aspect of global health that positively and directly influences the health of people in the region they are studying. Preference will be given to students who have had limited opportunities for international travel previously. Language ability in the intended country of experience will also be an important factor in selection. The Fellowship Selection Committee reviews the applications and selects the awardees. The Medical Alumni Loyalty Fund Global Enrichment Fellowship awardees will receive $2,250 each towards the cost of travel and expenses.