25 October 2021

Students support global health initiatives in four African countries

^{King’s students Rebecca Hotchkin and Akshayaa Shanthan who interned with King's Global Health Partnerships}

A new paid internship scheme with King’s Global Health Partnerships (KGHP), jointly funded by King’s and King’s College London Students’ Union (KCLSU), presented an invaluable opportunity for two students to gain experience in the field of global health whilst working to strengthen health systems in Somaliland, Sierra Leone, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Zambia.

Candidates were able to work on a range of projects, from supporting online teaching for medical, nursing and midwifery students in Somaliland and Democratic Republic of Congo to sharing the impact of projects and developing fundraising materials.

I was able to learn more about each context and even contribute directly – one highlight was supporting translation and formatting of slides for COVID-19 training for healthcare workers in the DRC!– Rebecca Hotchkin, Medical student

Through long-term partnerships with health facilities, academic institutions and governments, King’s Global Health Partnerships promotes skills and knowledge exchange. This mutual learning contributes to building a stronger health workforce and improved quality of healthcare both internationally and in the UK. As Rebecca Hotchkin (Medical student) said: ‘Interning with KGHP has allowed me to explore one part of the diverse world of global health first-hand…I particularly appreciated the opportunity to learn from KGHP’s approach to global health partnerships, bringing together NHS trusts, my university, and in-country partners.’

Discussing surgical care at the Ndola Teaching Hospital in Zambia

Nurse at the neonatal unit at the Arthur Davison Children’s Hospital in Zambia

The King’s team training health workers in DR Congo

The KGHP internship scheme is a win-win for all involved. We were able to benefit from the skills and ideas of King’s students and hopefully, they gained valuable work experience which will help them develop their careers in global health.– Laura Hucks, Director of King’s Global Health Partnerships

The internships enriched the learning experience for the students in the field of global health. Akshayaa Shanthan (MSc Public Health student) reflected on how the internship promoted personal and professional development: ‘This internship has taught me more skills than I could have imagined in such a short period of time and has helped me grow on a personal and a professional level; KGHP has proved to be a great stepping stone into the field of global health!’

The paid internship scheme ran for the first time this year. The scheme will open again in May 2022 and will be advertised via the KGHP Twitter account @KingsGHP and on the university internships page. All King’s students are eligible to apply.

Find out more about King’s Global Health Partnerships

To stay updated about King’ Global Health Partnerships, subscribe to their newsletter or follow them on Twitter @KingsGHP.

Students can also find out more about King’s Global Health Partnerships through the Cultural Competency Kickstarter, a co-curricular module students complete in their own time and at their own pace. Enrol on KEATS today.