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Global Forum on the Environment and Health

COM is developing a leadership role for international health education through the Global Forum. The goal of the Global Forum is to advance knowledge of environmental factors related to human health and propose solutions. Global Forum features invited distinguished lecturers that will follow an annual theme focused on pressing issues. Topics of interest include major world problems including cancer, HIV, vector born diseases, diseases associated with water quality and sanitation, hepatitis, nutrition and obesity.

These lectures originate at locations most appropriate for the topic and access by speakers of international reputation. Each lecture will be disseminated to VCOM’s participating hospital networks in the U.S. and international clinics using videoconference technology. The world wide presence is carried through the World Bank Global Development Learning Network.

The objectives include:

  1. Train health professionals for immediate application of new knowledge and provision of a virtual learning community for continuous use;
  2. Build an international health care network among professionals equipped with technology and communications skills to access it;
  3. Provide a global approach to health care and solutions; and
  4. Conduct research and experiment with a novel approach for educating health professionals, life long learning and engagement of health care professionals in both a teaching and research electronic community.

The audience is primarily those engaged in and preparing for the medical profession; yet broadly includes policy makers, decision makers associated with government, NGO representatives, foundations, agencies and others with an interest in health and the environment. Selected medical schools and additional partnerships, collaborators and Friends of Health and the Environment will be sought through active solicitation and registration on our web site.

The Global Forum on Health and the Environment builds on the success of the Global Seminar for Environment and Sustainability, originally created at Cornell University. In 2001, this program was the national winner for excellence in distance learning in higher education awarded by the American Distance Education Consortium, and was recognized at the United Nations (UN) World Summit on Sustainability in Johannesburg South Africa.

More About How VCOM Contributes to Health and the Environment

One of the primary educational objectives is to train VCOM’s future physicians to be stewards of the environment. The VCOM Medical Missions program, along with the Global Health Forum, focuses on instilling the importance of our environment on the health of populations. To find out more about our Missions, click below or on the links to the left for information on Appalachia, Dominican Republic, Honduras, and El Salvador.