Global Health Research & Policy Course

The Global Health Research & Policy is a project-directed course for students interested in exploring research with our group. GHSEN research students collaborate on a project with real global policy implications under the mentorship of GHSEN researchers, gaining valuable research skills such as conducting literature review, synthesizing academic sources, manuscript writing, and journal submission. In addition, the course allows students to connect with African health leaders and global health researchers from U.S. institutions such as Harvard and Duke University.

The end product of this course is an article to submit for publication*

*All research fellows are expected to fulfill the authorship criteria established by ICMJE guidelines.

22

Research Fellows Trained

99%

Have published their work

11

U.S. Institutions

Fall 2025 Research Course
$599.99
One time

The Global Health Research & Policy course is for students interested in exploring research and policy work with our group. This course allows students to onboard as GHSEN research students, connect with African health leaders, address real global health challenges, and work on evidence-based global policy reform. In addition, students receive mentorship on conducting literature review, synthesizing sources, manuscript writing, and publishing their work in manuscripts.

✓ ✓ Develop Research Skills and Learn to Publish Your Work
✓ ✓ Opportunity to Work on Two Projects
✓ ✓ Collaborate with Leading Global Health Experts
✓ ✓ Engage with Local Leaders on Critical Global Health Issues
✓ ✓ Connect with researchers from leading U.S institutions

Questions?

Contact our COO, Emaad Khan

Email: emaad@ghsen.org

Faraan Rahim | Curriculum Director

Harvard Medical School

Faraan Rahim is a Harvard medical student, global health researcher, and 2024 Samvid Scholar who is dedicated to advancing health systems in the United States and in sub-Saharan Africa. Fluent in Swahili, he has spent three years conducting research in Tanzania focused on implementation science methods to address non-communicable diseases such as heart disease. Faraan is the founder and CEO of GHSEN, an international research collaborative whose network spans public health leaders across African countries such as Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, and Congo. Through his leadership at GHSEN, Faraan spearheads efforts to raise awareness about global health challenges and to provide policymakers with evidence-based recommendations to strengthen global health systems. In addition, he has published 50+ research articles in prestigious medical journals such as BMJ, BMJ Global Health, Annals of Global Health, AIDS, and Nature Medicine.

Meet the Research Advisors

  • Julian Hertz, MD, MSc

    Research Advisor

  • Sandeep Palakodeti, MD, MPH

    Research Advisor

  • Eugene Richardson, MD, PhD

    Research Advisors

  • Nathan Thielman, MD, MPH

    Research Advisor

See all Research Advisors

Our Timeline

  • Project Conception

    Students are selected from a competitive application process, assembled into teams based on their interests, and will select one of our existing topics or propose an entirely new topic.

  • Training

    We will provide training resources developed by expert researchers to equip students with the skillset that they need, including how to conduct literature reviews and write effectively.

  • Manuscript Writing

    Throughout the next few steps, students will pursue an original project related to a pressing health disparity. Their expert mentor will provide guidance and feedback.

  • Manuscript Revision

    Students will work with their mentor and other experts from our network to revise, refine, and perfect their manuscript for submission.

  • Publication

    With the help of their mentors and us, students will identify a target journal or conference and submit their manuscript. Students will gain a deep understanding of the peer review process and incorporate reviewers’ edits as needed.

  • Advocacy

    Finally, students will work with members of our policy team to coordinate meetings with elected officials, write and submit testimony for hearings, attend committee hearings, and implement their proposed policy solutions for the real-world impact.

Available Projects Fall 2025

    • Project 40: From Automation to Oversight: Artificial Intelligence in US Healthcare Administration

      Project 43: Leveraging AI to Enhance Oncology Care Delivery in sub-Saharan Africa

      Project 45: AI in Medical Supply Chains - Long Form

      Project 55: The Potential and Challenges of AI in Global Cardiovascular Care

      Project 56: Smarter Hearts: Opportunities of AI-Driven Medical Devices in Cardiology

    • Project 27: Navigating the Evolving Landscape of Private Cardiology Practice

    • Project 32: Integration of Medical-Dental Care in the Primary Care Setting

    • Project 44: Vertical Integration of HIV / Ebola - Case Study from Uganda

    • Project 46: Filling Global HIV Care Gaps through Local ART Manufacturing

    • Project 49: Academic Medicine at a Cross Roads: Building Resilience and the Path Forward

    • Project 50: Academic Hospitals Should Invest in Global Partnerships in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

    • Project 51: The Role of Oversight and Intermediaries in Safe Medical Tourism

    • Project 53: Restoring Healthcare Competition in an Era of Consolidation

    • Project 54: The RVU System at 35: Time for Reform?

    • Project 58: Beyond the Loan Cap: Rebuilding Physicians Financing for a National Need

    • Project 38: GLP-1 Receptor Agonists and the Dawn of a New Era in Obesity Care

    • Project 47: Strategies to Curb the Rising Burden of Hypertension in Africa

    • Project 48: Development and Current Status of Interventional Cardiology in sub-Saharan Africa

    • Project 52: Bridging the Divide: Ensuring Global Access to GLP-1 Receptor Agonists

    • Project 55: The Potential and Challenges of AI in Global Cardiovascular Care

    • Project 56: Smarter Hearts: Opportunities of AI-Driven Medical Devices in Cardiology

    • Project 39: Health Impacts of Political Unrest in Ethiopia

    • Project 42: Chartering a Path to Lasting Peace in the DR Congo-Rwanda Conflict

    • Project 41: Bilingualism in Global Health Practice - Long Form

    • Project 32: Integration of Medical-Dental Care in the Primary Care Setting

    • Project 57: Culturally Tailored Nursing Homes—Building Belonging for Diverse Elders

Past Research Fellows

  • Afreen Ashraf

    Research Fellow ‘24

    Afreen worked alongside Joel Gitali, chairperson of the Kenya Tobacco Control Alliance, and Tony Muthemba, a public health officer with the Nairobi City County Government. Their project focused on developing policy recommendations to reduce tobacco use among Kenyan youth. Key initiatives included countering lobbying efforts by Big Tobacco, enhancing warning labels, regulating online sales, and addressing social media advertisements—such as those on TikTok—that promote tobacco use.

    See Afreen's Published Work

  • Pooja Lalwani

    Research Fellow '23

    Pooja collaborated with Fatou Baldeh and Adriana Kaplan-Marcusán, two of The Gambia’s leading women’s rights advocates. Together, they worked on a policy reform project focused on banning Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in The Gambia and advancing progress toward the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals on achieving gender equality and empowering women and girls. Pooja’s project generated critical discourse on protecting women’s rights in The Gambia and throughout sub-Saharan Africa.

    See Pooja's Published Work

  • Victoria Ayodele

    Research Fellow ' 24

    Victoria collaborated with Anzibert Rugakingira, a physician at the Tanzanian Ministry of Health, and Blandina Mmbaga, the director of the Kilimanjaro Christian Research Institute. Their project focused on developing policy recommendations to improve healthcare access in rural regions of Tanzania and other sub-Saharan African countries. Key initiatives included strengthening community-based health financing, establishing mobile health clinics to deliver primary care services and transportation, and providing culturally tailored health education.

    See Victoria's Published Work
See all Past Research Fellows

 FAQs

  • The course is administered entirely remotely with all communication occurring through Zoom and our GHSEN Slack channel.

  • Projects typically last between 2 to 8 weeks depending on the nature of the project and the target journal.

  • Tuition from our research course funds publication of our research in open-access journals, helps educate our research students in sub-Saharan Africa, facilitates international travel to spearhead new collaboration withs global leaders in Africa, and covers operational expenses of running GHSEN as a 501c(3) nonprofit organization.

  • Unfortunately, we are unable to offer financial assistance nor waivers to U.S. research students at this time. Funds from U.S. based research students ensure that students from Tanzania, Congo, Ethiopia, and other African countries are trained at no expense.

  • Students who sign up for the Global Health Research & Policy course can work on two GHSEN research projects with extensive mentorship from GHSEN researchers on manuscript writing and journal publication. However, projects must be completed sequentially rather than simultaneously to maintain quality.

  • While we are unable to provide guarantees, all students who have previously taken our research course have successfully published their work. See a list of all student-led published projects under “Research Fellows.”

  • Students will gain essential research skills such as conducting literature review, synthesizing academic sources, and manuscript writing.

  • Students will engage with leaders at the forefront of global and public health, gaining valuable networking opportunities that can lead to future prospects. Additionally, they will have the chance to publish academic research, enhancing their CVs and strengthening their professional profiles.