In June 2023, seven nursing students from both undergraduate and graduate programs flew more than 7,500 miles to the East African country of Tanzania to undertake a two-week Global Field Experience through UMSON’s Office of Global Health.
Accompanied by B. Elias Snyder, PhD, MS ’14, FNP-C, ACHPN, assistant professor and director of that office, and Charlotte Nwogwugwu, DrPH, BSN, RN, HIV PCP, CPH-BC, assistant professor, the students participated in site visits, clinical care, community meetings, workshops, and, of course, fun — including a safari at the Ngorongoro Crater.
Highlights included visits to the Black Rhino Academy International School, a nonprofit boarding and day school where UMSON students provided health screenings for more than 70 Black Rhino school students, and Engaruka Health Communities Organization (EHCO), a Tanzanian-founded and -led community hospital being built to serve a predominantly Maasai community.
The field experience was designed for students to gain insight into the rich diversity of cultures in Tanzania and to explore various aspects of the country’s health care system. The trip emphasized cultural humility, equity and justice, inner bias work, understanding the burdens of diseases, and comparing health care systems. A University of Maryland, Baltimore grant and UMSON’s Carolyn F. Waltz and Ora L. Strickland Endowment provided funding to cover most of the travel costs for the students, increasing global opportunities for students who may not have considered applying without funding support.
