Welcome to the UAB Gorgas Global Health and Tropical Medicine Fellowship!

We are thrilled that you are considering a career in global health and tropical medicine. This unique fellowship was created to equip you with practical skills that will allow you to effectively practice medicine in the U.S. and abroad. During the course of this two-year fellowship, you will have international rotations in Africa, Asia, Australia, and Latin America. You will study point of care ultrasound medicine, become proficient in basic procedures (lumbar punctures, central lines, thoracentesis, paracentesis, etc), learn Spanish via an immersion course in Nicaragua, be introduced to the basics of wound care, develop skills that will allow you to respond to humanitarian crises by attending the Harvard Humanitarian Response Intensive Course in Boston, master tropical medicine with doctors from all over the world at the prestigious Gorgas Institute in Peru, and become proficient in the practice of hospitalist medicine. You will also have an opportunity to present academic lectures, become involved in research and quality projects of your choice, and mentor other students interested in global health and tropical medicine.

Pending successful completion of all of your rotations and examinations, you will receive your Diploma of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (DTMH) and a Certificate of Knowledge in Clinical Tropical Medicine and Traveler’s Health (CTropMed). Both of these designations are recognized worldwide and will open up new opportunities for a career in global health.

When you are not traveling, you will be spending your time working as a hospitalist at the UAB Hospital in Birmingham, Alabama. You will have the opportunity to rotate through many of our floors/services, including the cardio-hospitalist unit, geriatrics unit, step-down unit, consult team, admissions team, and procedure team. During your hospitalist months, we will schedule your procedure, ultrasound and wound care training as well as global health lectures and journal club. 

Our hope through this fellowship is to give you a very hands-on and immersive experience that will mold you into an effective global health physician. 

Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions about the fellowship or if you would like to partner with us in any of our global health projects.  

We are excited about the possibility of working with you. 


“The UAB Gorgas Global Health Fellowship is an excellent program that offers all the tools a fellow needs to become a leader in global health and tropical medicine. The fellowship provides in-depth training in tropical medicine through the world-renowned Gorgas course. It also provides procedure and ultrasound training, not to mention hands on experience during its many international rotations. Not only do fellows get to work and learn side by side with experts in the field, but they also get to experience different cultures and live extraordinary adventures!”

Gretchen Carpintero Ramirez, MS, MD – Previous UAB Gorgas Global Health and Tropical Medicine Fellow

“I chose UAB for its unique fellowship program that combined all that was important to me in furthering my global health career: multiple extended international rotations where I could train with incredible clinicians, colleagues who shared my passion for public health and social justice, and the capstone of it all- the Gorgas Tropical Medicine course. The fellowship far exceeded my expectations- I will forever be grateful for such an incredible training experience.”

Ginger Holton, MD, MPH – Previous UAB Gorgas Global Health and Tropical Medicine Fellow

Program Overview

The fellowship is a two year program that starts in July, ends in June and includes the following rotations: Ultrasound Course, Procedure Course, Wound Care Course, Spanish Immersion Course in Nicaragua, Tropical Medicine Course at the Gorgas Institute of Tropical Medicine in Peru, Harvard Humanitarian Course in Boston, tropical medicine rotations in Zambia, Panama, Australia, and Singapore. In addition, you will be working as part of the UAB Hospitalist group while in the U.S., where you will have the opportunity to hone your ultrasound skills, work as a proceduralist, and practice medicine in different units of a large academic hospital.


Requirements

  • Completion of Internal Medicine Residency in the U.S
  • ABIM board eligible
  • Must be a US citizen or permanent resident (green card holder)

Fellowship is a year-long with option to extend to 2 years and do additional international rotations (Australia, Asia, Caribbean) +/- MPH.

Fellowship Highlights

  • International rotations in Zambia, Peru, Nicaragua, Australia, India, and Dominican Republic
  • Point of Care Ultrasound training (fellows will have access to portable ultrasound for international rotations and US rotations)
  • Procedure training
  • Wound Care training
  • Rotations in Travel Medicine, TB, and Wound Care clinics
  • Opportunity to obtain MPH credits
  • Attendance to ASTMH
  • Attendance to a global health conference of your choice (including European conferences)