Study Abroad Opportunities

Table of Contents

The School of Health Professions Study Abroad program (both the MPH Study Abroad program and the MHA Study Abroad program) counts as an internship for both the Master of Public Health and Master of Healthcare Administration Majors. Students participating in the School of Health Professions Study Abroad program will be enrolled in the appropriate credit granting course for their program. MPH students will enroll in COH 550, and MPH students will be enrolled in COH 500:

COH 500 Global Health Experience (4.50)

Exploration of the healthcare system and public health issues facing global communities. Tour location and experience the healthcare, economic, political, legal, and cultural environment of a host country. Development of thorough knowledge of global public health through combination of pre-departure study, on-site lectures and presentations by host country experts and healthcare leaders, post-tour analysis and reflection.

COH 550 Global Health Experience (3.00)

Duration: 4
Demonstrate attainment of public health foundational competencies and specialization competencies through applied practice experience in a global setting. Faculty-led short-term study abroad program. Exploration of the healthcare system and public health issues facing global communities. Tour location and experience the healthcare, economic, political, legal, and cultural environment of a host country. Development of thorough knowledge of global public health through combination of pre-departure study, service learning, on-site lectures and presentations by host country experts and healthcare leaders, post-tour analysis and reflection.

MHA Study Abroad Program

The Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA) program hosted a Study Abroad opportunity in Osnabruck, Germany in July – August, 2024. It was open to all School of Health Professions students.

The School of Health Professions Study Abroad program fulfills the Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA) internship requirement. Program fees total approximately $2,000 per student to planned destinations, plus National University tuition, travel cost (airfare, train, bus), passport (visa for non-US passport holders), and meal expenses. Please refer to the NU Catalog for more information on the MHA internship. Please email School of Health Professions for more information on the Study Abroad program.”

LaDon Jones, PhD
MHA Study Abroad

Courtney Sheppard

Osnabruck, Germany, July 2023

“Study abroad was one of the best experiences of my life. I was afraid to go, because I thought there was no way I would make any friends in such a short time, but I met amazing people who I still talk to. The course offered was great, but the learning you do outside of the classroom is just as meaningful. Because there are students from all over the world, you get hands on experience at how to work with different cultures and belief systems, and how to integrate those into the work you do. I will cherish my time in Germany for the rest of my life”

NU Alumni, MHA Study Abroad Program

Osnabruck, Germany, July 2023

Check out Master of Health (MHA) students’ experience in Germany this summer as part of International Summer University (ISU), NU’s exchange program with the Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences.

MPH Study Abroad Program

The School of Health Professions Study Abroad program fulfills the Master of Public Health (MPH) internship requirement. Led by Dr. Gina Piane, the MPH program has offered study abroad coursework with service learning for 8 years and is approved by our accrediting body, Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH).

Program fees total approximately $2,000 per student to planned destinations, plus National University tuition, travel cost (airfare, train, bus), passport (visa for non-US passport holders), and meal expenses. Please refer to the NU Catalog for more information on the MPH internship. Please email School of Health Professions for more information on the Study Abroad program.”

Gina Piane, MPH, DrPH, CHES
MPH Study Abroad

Maricar Pajarit

Uzbekistan, July 2024

“This experience was amazing!! I encourage any healthcare student to take this course and travel to a different country to experience the various healthcare systems, cultures, scenery, and food. I haven’t left the United States since my discharge from the military 15 years ago. I hesitated to go at first, but I am glad I did. It gave me the courage to travel again internationally. If an opportunity arises to take a trip like this as an Alumni at NU, I will definitely take it, especially with Dr. Piane.”

NU Alumni, MPH Study Abroad Program

In 2024, Dr. Piane took 15 – 25 students from the Department of Healthcare Leadership (MPH, BSPH, BSHA, and MHA programs) to Uzbekistan for a two-week program, in partnership with VAW. Students participated in staffing and managing public health clinics alongside local medical providers, attended lectures and seminars with VAW, provided Public Health Education during wait times in the clinic, provided public health education tailored to local students, and attended special cultural educational experiences.

In 2019, MPH students in the program partnered with Volunteers Around the World (VAW) during a Study Abroad trip to Cuzco, Peru.

DNAP Study Abroad Program

The School of Health Professions Study Abroad program fulfills the Doctor of Nurse Anasthesia Practice (DNAP) internship requirement. National University and the School of Health Professions have long fostered a relationship with Kenya Relief, sending senior students who have exceeded their case requirements to graduate, for applied coursework and serving diverse populations in austere environments around the world. The past two years has been spent ramping up global efforts for our residents, including full 3-month rotations in mission hospitals and rigorous environments outside of the continental United States.

Program fees total approximately $2,000 per student to planned destinations, plus National University tuition, travel cost (airfare, train, bus), passport (visa for non-US passport holders), and meal expenses. Please refer to the NU Catalog for more information on the DNAP internship. Please email School of Health Professions for more information on the Study Abroad program.”

Eric Kramer, DNAP, CRNA, FNP
DNAP Study Abroad

This partnership with the SOHP DNAP program and the Saving Lives Initiative in Sierra Leone took place October 18 – November 1, 2023. The goal of the mission is to train national nurse anesthetists in advanced techniques by providing seminars and hands on training in government hospitals.

Anna Li, RRNA, is a senior with NU’s DNAP program. She just returned from a surgical mission trip to Migori, Kenya with Kenya Relief. The mission took place January 19-28, 2024 focused on adult and pediatric head and neck surgeries, as well as women’s health surgeries.

This partnership with the SOHP DNAP program and the Saving Lives Initiative in Sierra Leone took place October 18 – November 1, 2023. The goal of the mission is to train national nurse anesthetists in advanced techniques by providing seminars and hands on training in government hospitals.

Sierra Leonese nurse anesthetist using the AirAngel VL 3D printed video laryngoscope. Erin Wilson’s doctoral capstone project involved traveling to Sierra Leon and training anesthetists at local hospitals how to use the 3d printed video laryngoscope for difficult intubations.

Erin Wilson, a former NU DNAP Program nurse anesthesia resident and current CRNA is teaching a femoral block to a nurse anesthetist from Sierra Leone.

Erin Wilson and Kathy Rosales presenting during a conference for anesthetists in Sierra Leone, as part of their doctoral capstone requirement for the National University Doctorate of Nurse Anesthesia program.