After 5 years as a junior doctor I was looking for a new challenge. Not least because the idea of becoming the medical registrar still fills me with dread. With endless late nights of revision and...
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Improving Global Health
The Programme
Who can apply
- Employees working within the NHS across the UK
- Satisfactory completion of Foundation Year 2 if a doctor or dentist
- Experience of working in a Band 6 role in the Agenda for Change scheme for others
Programme commitment
Fellows undertake a 6 month placement. The scheme is divided into 4 phases:
- recruitment
- pre-placement preparation (4 days)
- placement (6 months)
- post-placement debrief and support (attendance at IGH evening meeting to present project work and additional debrief with mentor)
Fellows appointed to the programme are required to attend 2 induction days prior to placement. The first day is a general induction day covering administration, public health and presentations from returned Fellows, the second day focuses on project planning, implementation and evaluation; quality improvement methods and education. Fellows also attend a 2 day leadership development course pre placement (the Leadership Development Centre) which is arranged via the Courses and Conferences Centre based at Health Education Wessex.
Quality Improvement Project Work
Each of the Fellows takes a lead on a project which is agreed with the in-country partner. Using quality improvement methods, Fellows work in partnership with local health teams towards delivering the Millennium Development Goals for Health. Project work is varied and mainly focussed on education and system development. Fellows do not provide direct clinical care.
Fellows join a wider health team and have the opportunity to develop an understanding of the inter-dependencies between food security, housing, sanitation, clean water, education, transport and health. The programme is continuously evolving and you may not know what project you will be working on until your placement.
You will be supported on placement by the local health team and a UK based mentor.
Placement Costs
A stipend to cover the essential living costs of each particular placement site is paid per calendar month for the period of the placement; this amount varies from £600 to no more than £1,000. In addition, economy class return flights to the placement site are also funded by IGH. Project costs are funded by the in-country partner.
Video
FAQ
FAQs
To find out more about becoming a Fellow on the IGH programme, please see the IGH Programme FAQs on the Resources page under the 'Documents' heading.
Presentation Evenings
You are welcome to come along to a presentation evening where returning IGH Fellows present their experiences whilst on placement, these are usually held 4 times a year. The next event will take place the evening of Thursday 14th March 2019. Please email igh.tvwla@hee.nhs.uk if you would like to attend.
Recruitment
The IGH programme recruits approximately twice a year and dates will be advertised on the website. In the meantime, we are happy to add you to our 'interested' list which will ensure you are notified by email when the next recruitment round is to take place, Please email your details including job title and place of work to igh.tvwla@hee.nhs.uk . Please note, acceptance onto the IGH programme does not necessarily guarantee a placement overseas.
(Both restricted access, only for IGH Fellows)
Blog
Supported by...

This programme has been part funded by the Tropical Health and Education Trust (THET) as part of the Health Partnership Scheme between 2013 and 2017.
