Title:	Parasitic Infections
Keywords:	Tropical medicine Parasitic Neglected diseases Medical & Clinical sciences Malaria
Country:	United States of America
Institution:	USA - Global Medicine, University of Minnesota
Course coordinator:	Sarah Sponsler 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 plan 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. Analyse the epidemiology of under-represented tropical infectious parasitic diseases. 2. Describe the pathophysiology and clinical presentation of these diseases, spanning malaria, other protozoa, helminths, and vector-borne infections. 3. Demonstrate the diagnosis and treatment of these diseases at the clinical level. 4. Identify social determinants of health that impact neglected parasitic diseases.
Focus or specific features: This is one of four online asynchronous courses in travel and tropical medicine. These courses can be taken independently or in any order. Students are expected to sign up for this asynchronous course in a manner that conforms to the expectations of their home institution. If a student were to take only this course, without other courses at that time, then we'd anticipate that a student would dedicate 10 days to complete this course. Students must ensure that this asynchronous coursework does not overlap with other courses they may be actively taking and follows the regulations for time and completion from their home institution
Assessment Procedures: 5% - 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 (as a pre-test, this is awarded full points if completed). 10% - Completion of all online activities (pass/fail). Students must attest to completely watching all video lectures and to fully completing all interactive lessons. In addition to student attestations, our Learning Management System tracks that students have clicked on the main links to start each lecture and lesson. 10% - Reflection posts. For each section within the course (1. Neglected Tropical Diseases; 2. Malaria; 3. Other Protozoa; 4. Nematodes, Cestodes, and Trematodes; 5. Insect and Vector for Diseases) students must reflect back on the module and describe the most important thing that they take away from the module in order to advance to the next module. This is a personal reflection and a formative activity, receiving full points for any reflection. No points awarded if there is no reflection written. 25% - Quizzes. For each section within the course (1. Neglected Tropical Diseases; 2. Malaria; 3. Other Protozoa; 4. Nematodes, Cestodes, and Trematodes; 5. Insect and Vector for Diseases) students must pass each quiz to advance to the next section (pass/fail). Five total quizzes, as summative assessments for each section. 50% - Post-test (multiple choice questions). This is a summative assessment covering all sections of the course. Students must achieve a 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: Neglected Tropical Diseases Neglected parasitic infections worldwide Neglected parasitic infections in USA Helminth immunology and hygiene hypothesis Malaria Malaria pathophysiology Malaria epidemiology Malaria immunology Malaria vector control Malaria chemoprophylaxis Historical perspective on malaria control & elimination Role of commodities in 21st century malaria efforts Treatment of severe malaria in USA Malaria in pregnancy Splenomegaly in Congolese refugees Malaria interactive lesson Other Protozoa Free-living amoeba Amoebiasis Intestinal protozoa Visceral Leishmaniasis Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Chagas disease Human African Trypanosomiasis Toxoplasmosis Giardia Other blood parasites Nematodes, Cestodes, Trematodes Parasite cases Onchocerciasis Wolbachia Loa Loa Lymphatic filariasis Intestinal nematodes Zoonotic nematodes Intestinal cestodes Neurocysticercosis Echinococcosis Other tapeworms Trematodes: Schistosomiasis Non-schistosoma fluke infection Insects and Vectors for Diseases Introduction to medically important arthropods Ticks Scabies Fleas / tunga penetrans Lice Mosquitos Triatomines Myiasis Vignettes of Clinical Cases Right upper quadrant pain Fever, diarrhea and rash in New York City Emesis and watery stools in New York City Fever and hemoptysis in Ecuador Comatose patient in Cameroon Others
Methods: This is purely an asynchronous online course. Many lessons are recordings of live lectures, and many lessons are interactive asynchronous modules with question prompts and reflection. The course is hosted on canvas.umn.edu. All students have access to course directors by email with questions. tropEd students will have a dedicated meeting with the tropEd representative at the start and end of the course, who is also available 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 parasitic infections. 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, the course is open on a case-by-case basis to other health professions, such as nursing, laboratory technicians, biotechnology, biology, or other background degrees that will be assessed by the course leadership. Although not required, many participants are also taking other online courses in the Clinical Tropical Medicine & Global Health Online Curriculum, or similar study elsewhere. For reference:here 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: Attendance is required and students must complete all asynchronous activities to complete the course. As an asynchronous course, students will have the opportunity to complete all activities.
Selection: Students are accepted on a rolling basis.
Fees: Practicing health care providers: USD $795 Trainees, including tropEd: USD $400 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 June 2024 in Cuernavaca. The accreditation is valid until June 2029
Remarks: All students have access by email to course directors. In addition, 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:check here and here
Email Address:	globalhealth@umn.edu
Date Of Record Creation:	2024-07-05 04:03:14 (W3C-DTF)
Date Of Record Release:	2024-07-05 09:18:12 (W3C-DTF)
Date Record Checked:	2024-07-05 (W3C-DTF)
Date Last Modified:	2024-10-11 10:35:07 (W3C-DTF)