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International Education

O'Dowd Hall, Room 328
586 Pioneer Drive
Rochester, MI 48309-4482
(location map)
(248) 370-2889
ie@oakland.edu

Office hours
Mon - Fri: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Alex Zimmerman, Director
(248) 370-2843
azimmerman@oakland.edu

International Education

O'Dowd Hall, Room 328
586 Pioneer Drive
Rochester, MI 48309-4482
(location map)
(248) 370-2889
ie@oakland.edu

Office hours
Mon - Fri: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Alex Zimmerman, Director
(248) 370-2843
azimmerman@oakland.edu

An aerial photo of a town on the water in Ghana, with boats lined up on the beach.

Public Health in Ghana

Oakland University's three-week faculty-led program to Ghana. Students will have a hands-on, community driven experience covering social issues affecting women and children. Students will collaborate with the Center for Learning and Childhood Development Ghana, a non-profit organization in Accra. Participate in community-based health care through visits to facilities and community clinics, engage with professionals to understand the health needs of a developing low- middle- income country. 

Course: PH 4750/5750: Global Health and Social Issues (4 credits) 

Program Dates: June 7 - 30, 2024

Application Deadline: March 1 (Apply by February 1 for best consideration for scholarships)

For more information contact:

Kwame Sakyi, Assistant Professor, Public Health
ksakyi@oakland.edu

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Transcript

Hi everyone, my name is Deborah. I am a second year graduate student in the Master of Public Health Program here at OU.

Hello everyone, my name is Allison Thomas. I'm currently studying nursing.

Hi my name is Heather Davies and I'm currently  a student in a Master of Public Health Program.

Hi my name is Kayla and I'm a public health student and we were all part of a group that traveled to Ghana last summer for the global health and social issues study abroad course at Oakland University.

I decided to study abroad in Ghana because it sounded like a very unique opportunity to experience a beautiful and culturally rich area and learned about health care from an entirely different point of view.

The trip focus on studying within a clinical setting in different areas of Ghana and  learning a wide scope of things and so with me becoming a nurse in the future it was right up my alley.

I decided to study abroad in Ghana because I wanted to learn about how a health system works within a cultural and social context that's new to me and to understand its unique strengths and challenges.

We went to a few schools we worked in a hospital setting alongside doctors medical, professionals, and it was an eye-opening experience. I really enjoyed shadowing their community health workers with Ghana's community health planning and services program also known as chips.

The most rewarding experiences for me were the days that we got to go to local schools and interact with students from kindergarten all the way to high school-age kids and being able to talk to them, to play with them, and to learn from them was an experience that I will cherish for a very long time. But of course, the trip wasn't all related to health services. We spent time with museums and visiting cultural sites and learning about the history of Ghana and the Ashanti Kingdom. We were able to be immersed in so many aspects of Ghanaian culture. We spent time with Ghanaian families .we went shopping at markets and we tried so many new delicious foods. We visited the Kakum National Park and walked on suspended canopies amongst the treetops in the rainforest. We even went swimming in the Kintampo waterfall. I'll say that going to Ghana kind of surprised me a little bit. I thought that it would be super hot and, you know, I had this single story of what Ghana would be like, what Ghanaian people would be like, the atmosphere was like - and it was completely different. We stayed in different resorts with a pool, we ate at really great restaurant. One of the biggest advantages to studying abroad in Ghana is that it provided me with the chance to become immersed in a totally different environment. I had the opportunity to discover new places, meet new people and surround myself in traditions and cultures that are entirely different than my own. This trip would be a great opportunity for any student that wants to learn more about how things like culture education and history can affect someone's health and wellbeing. I would recommend this trip to anyone that's interested in health services and social determinants of health, whether that be public health, nursing, pre-med school, physical or occupational therapy, kinesiology and more.

I'll definitely say that students should experience studying abroad. It was my first time going out the Country. I learned a lot about myself, my faith grew as a person. Prayer truly got me through and my faith grew stronger on the trip. I'll say that my relationship with myself grew stronger as well. I think that everyone should consider studying abroad because the exposure to new environments and new ways of doing things definitely brought into my view of the world but also the experience and practice of being open-minded and curious was a great lesson in how to approach things that are different or don't make sense at first and that's a lesson that I think can benefit anyone, no matter what you're studying.

We learned and explored so much that would benefit anyone and I think that everyone should consider studying  abroad. If you can ask me if I would do it all again, yes, I will go back to Africa all again I will do the trip from beginning to end all again. I made so many different friends from the trip, met so many different people, learned so many things culturally, academically, personally, and it was just an all around experience. I say go for it.

If you are interested in taking this course or learning more about it scan the QR code to add yourself to the email list for updates and reminders,. We also put here the course page with all the details of the course and the payments and below that is the International Education payment site where you can find scholarship information. Everyone in our group took advantage of available scholarships which definitely helped make the trip more affordable. Thank you so much for listening and I hope you get to travel soon.

Program Overview

Students fly together as a group to Accra, the capital of Ghana, on the Atlantic coast of West Africa, and known for the Makola Market, vast colorful bazaar. Popular seafront spots Labadi Beach and Kokrobite Beach offer golden sand and high-energy nightlife.

For three weeks, students will engage with caregivers to understand the living experiences of families in a low-middle income country and explore contemporary social issues, problems, controversies, and potential solutions in global health, particularly in developing countries.

Visit historical and cultural sites to understand how colonialism, slavery, environmental conditions, and socio-economic factors influence health and development. Additional places to visit include Cape Coast Castle, Kakuum National Park, Makola Market, the Centre for National Culture and Bojo Beach.

Following the program, students return to Michigan from Ghana.

Academics

Requirements: A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required. Students who don’t meet the GPA requirement may still be eligible and should speak with OU’s International Education Office prior to applying.

Course: PH 4750/5750: Global Health and Social Issues (4 credits)

Those who take this class during the academic year and are interested in the field experience, will register for the course as an independent study student.

Students participate in a community-based, non-profit related project and visit a health facility or community clinic. Lectures will provide theoretical lenses to understand and critique issues and policies relating to health and development in Ghana.

Courses are taught in English by OU faculty and instructors

The program is open to students in diverse backgrounds, including biology, neuroscience, nursing, wellness and promotion, public health, pre-med, and pre-dental students. Students in sociology, social work, women’s studies, anthropology, psychology, and have an interest in health issues are welcome.

Housing and Food

Students will stay at the University of Ghana International Students Hostel or other hostel in Accra, Ghana.

Students may purchase meals independently at the many restaurants, cafes and bistros throughout the region. Favorite cuisine in Ghana are includes fufu (a mashed potato-like dish), banku (a fermented corn dough), kenkey (fermented corn and cassava dough), and waakye (rice and beans).

Cost

Tuition: 4 Credits

You will enroll in and you will be charged for these credits on your eBill at your normal rate of tuition.

Program Fee: $4,000

To be paid to OU on our MarketPlace payment system and includes: airfare, housing and most meals, ground transportation and all excursions while in Ghana, and health insurance.

Additional Costs: $895

You will need additional funds for these expenses not covered by program fee. Amounts are estimated.
Meals: $200
Incidental personal expenses: $200
Passport (if you don't have one): $175
Visa: $60
Yellow fever immunization: $200
Malaria pills: $60


Scholarships and Financial Aid: You are able to use financial aid to cover your full cost of attendance to this program (tuition, program fee and additional costs). Scholarships are also available through your study abroad application.