The effectiveness of competency-based global health education programs for medical students

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to develop a competency-based global health education (GHE) program for medical students and analyze its effectiveness.Methods: The study had a pretest–posttest control group design. The program was developed based on the eight global health competency domains for medical students and implemented for 18 hours over 6 weeks beginning in September 2023. The intervention and control groups comprised 34 students and 41 students, respectively. The analytical methods used were t-test, chi-square test, and analysis of covariance.Results: Experience with global health activities and pretest scores were controlled as covariates to exclude the effects of participants’ general characteristics and pretest scores. The intervention group had outscored the control group on interest in a global health career and the necessity of GHE and also showed significantly higher posttest scores on global competence, global citizenship, and global health competence. Students were generally satisfied with the GHE program.Conclusion: A global health competency-based GHE program effectively increases medical students’ interest in global health careers, their understanding of the need for GHE, and their global competence, global citizenship, and global health competence. This study is expected to promote GHE program development and research.