More than 20 students from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health worked abroad this summer on their field experience, the hands-on component of several SPH academic programs. While their projects and settings varied dramatically, the overarching goal is the same: promote health and improve lives. Much of this work is done in collaboration with non-governmental organizations and locally based groups that helped the students connect to the communities they served.
For some students, it was the first time they put academic concepts to use in real-world settings—often with the challenge of limited resources, language barriers, and cultural differences. For all, it was an experience that exposed them to enriched worldviews, expanded career options, the benefits of teamwork, and fresh ideas about the daily workings of global health.
