Addressing Health Inequities and Improving Outcomes
The Division of Global and Community Health was established more than 10 years ago as a pioneering initiative positioned within the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology to build upon BIDMC's longstanding commitment to service. Grounded in the pillars of an academic medical institution—clinical care, medical education and research—our providers seek to improve health outcomes and address health inequities in communities both locally and globally.
Clinical Care and Innovation
As part of our Division's commitment to improving patient care and clinical outcomes, we have positioned our team in various communities across the globe. We have a full-time clinician in Botswana who, in addition to overseeing the expansion of an OBGYN residency training program, treats patients and provides critical OBGYN care for those in need. Here in Massachusetts, we also have bilingual faculty based at BIDMC's community health centers who provide comprehensive OBGYN services for patients close to home.
Research
With the support of OBGYN's Division of Research and in collaboration with our academic and community partners, our faculty is involved in various innovative research projects. Below is a brief summary of our research.
Global Health
- Cervical cancer screening in Botswana
- Gender-based violence in humanitarian crises
- Academic global health medical education and careers
- Improving quality of childbirth care in rural Chiapas, Mexico
- Enhancing nutrition and antenatal infection treatment for maternal and child health in Ethiopia
- Improving perinatal mood disorders in Tanzania
Community Health
- Equity in pregnancy care
- Shared decision-making with Spanish-speaking immigrants
- Community health exposure for OBGYN residents
- Addressing oral health disparities in pregnant women
- Phthalate exposure in immigrant women
- Chinese immigrant experiences with group prenatal care
- Barriers to care for transgender patients
- Doula support to improve perinatal experiences and equity in care
Medical Education
We offer numerous opportunities for education and mentorship in global and community health including:
- Fourth-year medical student elective at BIDMC-affiliated community health centers
- OBGYN resident continuity clinics at BIDMC-affiliated community health centers
- Mentored global or community health project opportunity for all residents
- BIDMC Global Health Training Scholarship for first-year residents to apply for to participate in a global health delivery course
- Second-year and third-year OBGYN resident electives at Princess Marina Hospital in Gaborone, Botswana, or at other international sites with faculty supervision and support
In collaboration with Harvard Medical School and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, we also offer additional resources and a rich community of colleagues dedicated to global and community health.
