Global Health Research Track Overview

Please note: due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the GHREAT program is currently on hiatus.

The Global Health Research Track of the MSRP focuses on promoting global health research and education both abroad and locally. A team consisting of 2 - 5 students work together under one UCI research mentor to complete a project focusing on a research area related to global or international health. The option for international travel during the summer between MS1 and MS2 years may be available depending on the research mentor and area of research (if the team travels abroad to another location, a secondary research mentor on-site is required).

To see which global health-based mentors have already agreed to be part of the ICTS MSRP, please click here.

PLEASE NOTE: This is not an exhaustive list of mentors. If there is someone you would like to work with that is not on this list, please contact Brooke Piercy at piercyb@hs.uci.edu to discuss options.

Expectations for the Global Health Research Track

• Students continue working with their research mentor for all four years of the program; if travel is involved, students must continue working on a research project upon return to receive credit
• Students meet with the ICTS twice per year to provide an update on their research project with a BRIEF 5-minute PowerPoint Presentation
• The mentor and the student work together to plan a research project by setting reasonable, attainable goals, and establishing a timeline for completion of the project
• Mentors and students should plan to meet regularly to progress through the research project and keep each other up to date
• Students respond to all progress assessment surveys sent with updates regarding their research progress
• Students produce a scholarly abstract for poster or oral presentation at a scientific meeting, or a peer-reviewed manuscript for publication by the end of the program

What benefits and resources are there?
The ICTS MSRP provides several benefits and mechanisms of support:

• Assistance working with UCI ZotFunder to raise travel funds (if applicable)
• 16 units of non-clinical credit and transcript notation of 250+ research hours completed through the program
• Eligibility for School of Medicine Research Distinction at graduation
• Statistical support through the ICTS BERD Unit (3 free drop-in sessions with potential for more support if necessary)
• Administrative support writing and applying for extramural grant funding
• Administrative support writing and editing peer-reviewed manuscripts
• Administrative support writing IRB and IACUC protocols
• Access to ICTS FFAST workshops, Brown Bag meetings, BERD Statistical Trainings, and other relevant research resources on and off campus

Need more support you don’t see listed? Contact Brooke Piercy at piercyb@hs.uci.edu for help with obtaining the support you need!