Wahlpflichtfach Medicine in the tropics and Global Health

Information on the compulsory elective module “Medicine in the Tropics and Global Health” This subject is offered ONLY during the summer semester. Brief description and covered topics In this course we will illuminate how classical "tropical medicine" or "medicine in the tropics" has progressed and is now embedded in the concept of "Global Health", which takes a holistic perspective of globally acting determinants of health and thus is based on the moral principle of health equity, and “health for all” as lain down in the Sustainable Developmental Goal (SDG) 3 of the United Nations. Although the main focus is on infectious diseases, we will also deal with geographical, climatic, and cultural aspects that doctors in the tropics encounter and which play an important role in anamnesis, examination, conversation, diagnostics, and therapy. As a team with broad diagnostic, clinical, infectiological, and scientific experience, we have compiled an extensive portfolio of topics. As you can see from the program, these range from the special requirements for surgery in LMIC (low-middle income countries), to the special challenges of women's health, to the implementation of nationwide anti-infective therapy campaigns, to key infectious diseases issues such as HIV, malaria and neglected tropical diseases, and migrant medicine. Learning about medicine in the tropics and GH is important for ensuring sustainability because it promotes the development of healthcare systems that are effective, efficient, and equitable. By understanding the healthcare needs and practices of people in tropical regions, healthcare providers and policymakers can design interventions that are culturally appropriate, locally relevant, and sustainable over the long-term SDG3 cannot be achieved in isolation. It is closely linked to other SDGs, such as SDG1 (No Poverty), SDG2 (Zero Hunger), SDG4 (Quality Education), and SDG5 (Gender Equality), among others. Therefore, a comprehensive and integrated approach is necessary to achieve all the SDGs. The interdisciplinary format of lectures is crucial for achieving SDG3 and promoting global health. This is because health outcomes are influenced by a complex array of social, economic, and environmental factors, which cannot be addressed by a single discipline alone. By bringing together experts from different fields, fostering collaboration and innovation, and promoting diversity and inclusion, interdisciplinary lectures can contribute to the development of more effective, efficient, and sustainable healthcare systems. The course concludes with a teaching unit in which you will be instructed to carry out independent blood and stool diagnostics in a "mini-laboratory" customary in the tropics. During the course, we will also demonstrate live disease-transmitting vectors such as Anopheles and Tsetse flies, a chance not to be missed! We also always enjoy the active participation of our students! Responsible for the course/contact data: Prof. Dr. med. Clarissa Prazeres da Costa, clarissa.dacosta@tum.de Requirements: In principle, this elective is open to all interested students, although it is advisable to have at least some clinical experience and some basic knowledge about the development of clinical pictures, as the course is intended to prepare for upcoming clinical traineeships/PJ Tertiale in the subtropics / tropics. In any case, the course offers plenty of room for interaction in order to deepen the topics and their understanding. From the summer semester 2019 onwards, with a few exceptions, the course will be held in English in line with the internationalisation efforts of the TUM. Day/Time/Place: every Friday during the summer semester from 11-13h in the „Kurssaal“ of the Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Hygiene, located on the ground floor at Trogerstrasse 30. It is absolutely necessary to attend the first session of this elective module, as further participation is otherwise not possible. Absence times: One missed date Grade determination: The elective participation is graded. Depending on the number of participants, at the end of the semester the students present a subject of their choice in a short presentation or a short certificate is issued during the last lesson. Further information will follow during the course.