Procedures and Activities

Application to Enroll in the Program

Students interested in the Global Health Distinction (GHD) Program must submit an application within specific timeframes: 

• Undergraduate students: during the first two semesters of their program. 
• Graduate students: during the first year of their program. Late applications may be considered only with approval from the CIP. 

Application Materials

Applicants must submit the following:

• Completed application form (Appendix IV: GHD application form). 
• Student’s resume. 
• Student’s statement, detailing how the GHD Program resonates with the student’s values experiences, career goals, and professional trajectory. 
• Letter of acceptance from a potential faculty mentor (Appendix V: Sample Faculty Mentor Letter). 

Submission Instructions 

Applicants should submit all completed application materials to Canvas for processing at least one month before their graduation date (preferably two months in advance); At the same time, applicants should notify the CIP Chair, their faculty mentor, and the Director of International Program via email regarding the submission. 

Enrollment in the Program

The CIP chair will coordinate the review and voting process for each application, involving both faculty and student voting members. After the decision is made, the Chair will notify the applicant of the outcome and send copies of the notification to the faculty mentor and the Director of International Programs. 

Mentor-mentee Activities

The mentor-mentee relationship is a cornerstone of the GHD Program. Through this partnership, students will receive personalized guidance, professional development support, and opportunities to meaningfully engage in global health activities. Mentors will work closely with students throughout the duration of their academic program to ensure alignment with the GHD objectives and successful completion of program requirements. Expected activities and outcomes of the mentor-mentee relationship include: 

• Individualized Development Planning Mentors and students will co-create a Global Health Learning and Engagement Plan during their first meeting. This plan will outline goals, timelines, proposed activities, scholar endeavors and expectations for both parties. 
• Regular Check-ins Students will meet with their faculty mentor at least once per semester (virtually or in person) to discuss progress, reflect on experiences, and revise plans as needed. 
• Guidance on Global Health Engagement Mentors will provide advice and support in identifying and pursuing appropriate global health activities, including international clinical experiences, research opportunities, community outreach projects, and interprofessional initiatives. 
• Scholarly Support Mentors will help students prepare scholarly work (e.g., abstracts, posters, or presentations) for submission to mentor-approved academic or professional conferences. They may also offer feedback on writing or research relevant to global health. 
• Activity Log Review and Verification Mentors will verify and sign off on the student’s Global Health Activity Log (Appendix III: Activity Log), confirming that the activities meet GHD requirements and total at least 150 hours. 
• Professional and Career Mentorship Mentors will offer broader professional guidance, helping students connect their global health experiences to long-term career goals, clinical or fellowship planning, and leadership development. 

Award of the Distinction 

Students must submit all required documents to Canvas. CIP will review the submissions, verify program completion, and approve the final list of graduating students eligible for the distinction. The Director of International Programs will then forward the approved list and accompanying letters to the Undergraduate and Graduate Program Coordinators in the Office of Academic Affairs. Finally, the Program Coordinators will submit the letters to the Registrar’s Office for official conferment of the Global Health Distinction.

Evaluation

The evaluation of the GHD Program will include an assessment of the students’ global health activities and outputs and the program's objectives. Quantitative evaluation of the program will involve online surveys and questionnaires for both students and mentors before and after the completion of the GHD Program. The survey will include but not limited to demographics, cultural skills, interprofessional team skills, student’s career plans, global health engagement, and reflection on program activities and recommendations.

Global Health Opportunities: “Going global but local”

A student’s active participation in global health and/or study abroad activities is a requirement for GHD. These activities may include but are not limited to, international medical service trips, study abroad programs, South Texas and border projects, local health and cultural activities (i.e., health screening at Asian Festival, new year celebrations for different cultures), and many more. 

The Global Health Trip hours are calculated up to 10 hours per day. Time spent in transit, including air travel, is not counted toward the total Global Health Trip hours.