| Title: |
Non-communicable diseases in low resource settings |
| Keywords: |
Non-communicable diseases
Medical & Clinical sciences
|
| Country: |
United States of America
|
| Institution: |
USA - Global Medicine, University of Minnesota
|
| Course coordinator: |
Kristina Krohn
|
| About duration and dates: |
Asynchronous / year-round Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Students can begin and complete the course at any time, within the expectations of their home institution. |
| Classification: |
advanced optional
|
| Mode of delivery: |
Distance-based
|
|
Course location:
Online, asynchronous |
|
| ECTS credit points: |
2 ECTS credits
|
SIT:
60 hours total SIT
This course consists of 35 direct contact hours, completed asynchronously.
In addition, students are expected to spend 25 additional hours for independent study and assessments. |
|
| Language: |
English
|
Description:
At the end of the module the student should be able to:
1. Analyze differences in non-communicable diseases (NCDs) between low-resource and high resource settings, including epidemiology, prevention, clinical diagnoses and treatments, from a medical perspective.
2. Appraise key interventions in the field of NCDs, from prevention to emergency health care, including malnutrition, pediatrics, neonatal resuscitation, obstetrics, and gender related care.
3. Assess and propose appropriate diagnostic testing and select appropriate treatment of NCDs in selected medical specialties in low resource settings through clinical case studies. |
|
Assessment Procedures:
Formative - Pre-test allows students to identify their baseline knowledge level and primes them for the type of information they will be required to know later in the course. Questions are primarily multiple choice, with explanations provided after the quiz is submitted.
Formative - Completion of all online activities (pass/fail). Our Learning Management System tracks that students have clicked on the main links to start each lecture and lesson. To unlock the next module of the course, all activities, quizzes and reflections must be completed.
Formative - Reflection posts. For each section within the course, students must reflect on the module and describe the most important thing that they take away in order to advance to the next module. Students must complete the reflection to unlock the next section of the course. This is a personal reflection and a formative activity, receiving full points for any reflection. Intermittently, and before certification is given, a faculty member will review the reflections. When faculty review the reflections, if there is no reflection written or if the questions posed are not answered appropriately, then the student is notified and given the opportunity to fully complete the reflection posts to earn the certificate of course completion.
50% - Quizzes. For each section within the course students must pass the quiz to advance to the next section (a score of 80% is required to pass). Seven total quizzes, as summative assessments for each section. Quizzes include feedback and explanations for why answers are incorrect.
50% - Post-test (multiple choice questions). This is a summative assessment covering all sections of the course (a score of 80% is required to pass). The post-test includes feedback and explanations for why answers are incorrect.
Students must achieve an overall passing score of 80% or above to pass this course.
In the event of failing, students will have the option to repeat the failed component until successful completion of the course is achieved.
Of note, this score of 80% is intentionally higher than many in-person courses, because students have more opportunity to learn the material at their own pace in this fully asynchronous course, and they will have the option to repeat any component until 80% is achieved. |
|
Content:
This is an advanced course on non-communicable diseases from both patient and population perspectives, highlighting clinical cases across a wide range of medical specialties.
1. Emergency medicine in low resource settings.
This section covers differences in emergency medical care in low resource settings including differences in clinical presentations and equipment.
2. Pediatrics in low resource settings
This section covers pediatric care that is necessary in low resource settings that may be unfamiliar to clinicians accustomed to practicing in high resource settings, including things such as diagnosis and management of malnutrition, dehydration and neonatal resuscitation.
3. Gender/s ex-based care in low resource settings
This section covers differences in obstetric care and gender and sexual health. In low resource settings compared to high resource settings.
4. Chronic non-communicable diseases in low resource settings
This section covers differences in etiology, epidemiology, diagnosis, and management for chronic diseases such as heart, lung, kidney and hematologic diseases in low resource settings compared to high resource settings.
5. Dermatology and other acute non-communicable diseases in low resource settings
This section covers epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of acute non-communicable diseases including acute kidney injury, cancers, acute neurological conditions, and dermatological concerns, such as burns, in low resource settings. |
|
Methods:
This is purely an asynchronous online course. Lessons are a combination of highly edited videos of lectures to live audiences, video lectures specific for the online course, and interactive asynchronous lessons with combinations of text, images, and videos with question prompts, sorting activities and reflections built into the lesson.
The course is hosted on canvas.umn.edu. All students have access to course directors by email for questions. There are two course directors available, plus at least six other core faculty who are available to answer questions remotely. |
|
Prerequisites:
This is an advanced medical course in global health. Prior knowledge and experience in clinical health sciences is required. As a general rule, at least 3 years (180 ECTS) should be completed in medicine.
However, other professions with a clinical background may apply for special permission to be admitted.
Non-medical participants may take this course, although they should be prepared that this course is designed for clinicians.
Experience in low- and middle-income countries is relevant but not necessary.
All activities are in English and fluent English is required. If relevant, the minimum requirements are English TOEFL test score 213 (computer-based) or 550 (paper-based) or 79-80 (internet-based) or IELTS band 6.0.
Basic computer and internet connection capable of playing slides and short videos is required. |
|
Attendance:
Students must complete all asynchronous activities to complete the course. |
|
Selection:
Students are accepted on a rolling basis. |
|
Fees:
Practicing health care providers: USD $895
Trainees, including tropEd: USD $450
For details, contact globalhealth@umn.edu |
|
Scholarships:
Scholarships are not currently available to tropEd students. This tuition is already priced at a discounted student rate. |
|
tropEd accreditation:
Accredited in EC Telco, Sept. 2025. The accreditation is valid until Sept. 2030 |
|
Remarks:
tropEd students will have a dedicated meeting with the tropEd representative at the start and end of their asynchronous course.
All content is part of an approved curriculum qualifying for the US Certificate of Knowledge in Clinical Tropical Medicine and Traveler’s Health (CTropMed Examination), as well as the UK Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (DTM&H). For further details:
https://www.astmh.org/education-resources/certificate-programs
https://www.rcplondon.ac.uk/diploma-tropical-medicine-and-hygiene |
|
| Email Address: |
globalhealth@umn.edu |
| Date Of Record Creation: |
2025-09-05 10:18:13 (W3C-DTF) |
| Date Of Record Release: |
2025-09-05 10:32:28 (W3C-DTF) |
| Date Record Checked: |
2025-09-05 (W3C-DTF) |
| Date Last Modified: |
2025-09-05 10:32:28 (W3C-DTF) |
