James D. Smith

Dr. Smith is Professor Emeritus from Oregon Health & Science University of Portland Oregon, USA

In Person Virtual

Making short-term global healthcare mission trips ethical, equitable and ecologically responsible

  • Breakout Session
  • Main Building ED 210/212
  • November 9 2023 3:45 PM - 4:45 PM
  • P, PA, NP, D

This session will discuss how short-term global healthcare mission trips can benefit medical students and residents, but also be beneficial to their global hosts. Ways to make these trips ethical, equitable and ecologically responsible will be presented.

Mission and academic agencies are paying critical attention to “Global Healthcare Education” experiences. Short-term mission trips in a Christian context may meet this need. How can we make these experiences ethical, equitable, and ecologically responsible? This workshop will look at the ethics of taking teams from HIC to LMIC, the preparation and training required to make these trips valuable to the hosting site and visitors, who initiates the request, the expertise visitors bring, and what needs to be considered to leave something which is beneficial to the hosts.