Curriculum

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At MSIH, we offer a unique program that integrates global health into each stage of your expert medical training.

At the end of the program, you will be a highly trained physician who understands how to work at the intersection of global health, and community and preventive medicine, whether locally or internationally.

First Year

Basic Science Courses
Biochemistry, Biostatistics, Epidemiology, Genetics, Histology, Immunology, Microbiology, Molecular and Cell Biology, Pathology, Pharmacology, Physiology

Body Systems
Endocrine System, Hematology, Rheumatology System

Global Health Courses
Introduction to Global Health
Global Health Modules (select 2 per year):
Examples include Health Inequities, History of Medicine, The Impact of Racism on Medicine, Medical Innovation Digital Health and Devices, Medicine & Literature, Medicine & Society, Migration and Health, Introduction to Mindfulness, Neglected Tropical Diseases

Other Courses
Emergency Medicine 1, Medical Ethics, Hebrew, On Being a Doctor and Introduction to Oncology

Second Year

Body Systems
Anatomy: Embryology 1 & 2, Abdomen and Pelvis, Chest and Thorax, Head and Neck, Limbs, Neuroanatomy

Systems: Cardiovascular System, Gastrointestinal System, Nephrology System, Neurology System, Psychiatry, Reproductive System, Respiratory System

Global Health Courses
Practicing Global Health in Specific Contexts Global Health Modules (select 2 per year)

Other Courses
Clinical and Communication Skills (Includes Hebrew), Integration of the Basic Sciences (USMLE Review)

Third Year

Clinical Clerkships
Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Neurology, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pediatrics, Psychiatry, Surgery

Cross Cultural Medicine Workshop

Emergency Medicine 2

Fourth Year

Electives and Sub-Internships
(Completed in the U.S., Canada and Israel)

Global Health & Medicine Clerkship at International Site 

Clinical Selectives in Israel
Anesthesiology, Dermatology, ENT, Geriatrics, Nephrology, Neurosurgery, Ophthalmology, Orthopedics, Pediatric Surgery, Plastic Surgery, Radiology/Imaging, Vascular Surgery

Research Elective

Unique Course Offerings

Emergency Medicine Course

Taught in years 1 and 2, this course provides students with the basic skills needed for resuscitation and emergency situations in year 1, with more complex skills being taught in year 2. This is a small group class.

Introduction to Global Health

The introduction to global health course will familiarize students with broad topics in global health, exploring social determinants of global health and global disease burden, and selected areas such as child survival and vaccine-preventable diseases, Ebola, Zika virus, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. The course will provide a historic context to global health and emphasize how it is important to view health problems as global wherever they occur. It also stresses the importance of looking for solutions to health problems as potentially coming from low and middle (LMIC) to high income countries (HIC), and addresses the more traditional view that HICs can solve LMIC health problems. This course is taught through a combination of interactive lectures, case based flipped classrooms and group exercises.

On Being a Doctor

This course engages students to think critically about the physician experience. The relationships between Physician and Patient, Physician and Society and the Physician and Self are examined. Many personal, interpersonal and societal issues surrounding the practice of medicine are discussed through team based learning.

Clinical Research Elective:

In alignment with MSIH’s belief in harnessing the vast expertise that BGU has to offer in research, all students are required do research.  The student research project will be in one of the following areas: research in basic bio-medical sciences, clinical research, medical ethics, medical education, epidemiology, global health or another topic approved by the Research Committee. In addition to the required research project, there is an option to participate in a 4-week research elective in the fourth year.

Hebrew Instruction

Hebrew is taught in the first two years. This includes basic Hebrew, with a focus on medical terminology in Hebrew and interactive experiences such as interviewing patients and performing physical exams in Hebrew.

Global Health & Medicine Clerkship

Capstone experience in which students spend eight weeks in a global health rotation. This takes place in diverse locations around the world, such as India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Peru, Ghana, Western Canada and Ethiopia. Insofar as possible, MSIH students are integrated into training programs with local medical students.

Cross Cultural Medicine Workshop

Students are exposed to different aspects of cross-cultural medical via scenarios with an emphasis on clinical communication skill development. This is taught through group discussions and exercises with simulated patients.

Course Formats & Grading

In years one and two, the majority of courses are Pass/Fail/Honors. Global health courses are either Pass/Fail/Honors or Pass/Fail. In years three and four, grading is Pass/Fail/Honors/High Pass.

Class styles and formats vary depending upon subject matter and learning objectives. Many combine the following: Lectures, tutorials, self-learning, group projects, labs, PBLs, clinical discussions, case studies and flipped classrooms.