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.

22

Research Fellows Trained

99%

Have published their work

11

U.S. Institutions

Spring 2025 Research Course
$599.00
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 35+ research articles in prestigious medical journals such as BMJ, BMJ Global Health, Annals of Global Health, AIDS, and Nature Medicine.

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 Spring 2025

11. Empowering sub-Saharan Africa as a Hub for Pharmaceutical Development

12. The Power of Public-Private Partnerships in sub-Saharan Africa

13. Ebola in Uganda: Lessons Learned from the 2014 Outbreak 

14. Withdrawal of Foreign Aid Requires Sustainable Health Systems in sub-Saharan Africa

15. Goma Under Siege: A Humanitarian Crisis in the Congo

16. A Rollback in International Funding will Set Back the International Fight Against HIV/AIDS 

17. Comparative Insights into GLP-1 Receptor Agonists: Evaluating Effects on Weight loss

18. Curbing the Rising Burden of Non-Communicable Disease in Sub-Saharan Africa

19. Addressing the Shortage of EMTs and Paramedics in Emergency Medical Services

20. Navigating Private Equity Acquisition in United States Healthcare

  1. Navigating Public Health Under Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s Leadership

  2. Scaling Back Aid for Africa is a Strategic Misstep for the United States

  3. U.S. Withdrawal from USAID: What does it mean for Five Countries in sub-Saharan Africa?

  4. Digital Health Technology in sub-Saharan Africa

  5. Bilingualism in Global Health Practice

  6. Tanzania's Response to Marburg: A Key Success in Global Health Security

  7. A Rapid Humanitarian Response is need in the Congo

  8. Deadly Disease Outbreaks in Africa - A Testament to the Need for the WHO

  9. Off-Label Usage of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists: Understanding Incentives and Challenges

  10. A Path to Universal Health Coverage in Tanzania

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.