How to Attend the Training Program… Virtually

The Training Program will take place online through the use of Word documents, PowerPoint presentations, the use of DropBox as a collaboration tool, and through conference calls.

You will not have to travel anywhere to attend the Training Program. As long as you have access to the internet and a telephone, you can attend the Training Program from wherever you are.

Structure of Training Program for the Guatemala Summer Healthcare Fellowship

The Summer Healthcare Fellow Training Program will consist of six conference calls
in the weeks leading up to departure. Conference calls will be led by Executive
Board members and former Summer Healthcare Fellows. There are three main goals
for the training program:

(1) provide new volunteers with an overview of Global HEED initiatives in Guatemala;

(2) orient new volunteers to how they will be involved with current projects in Calhuitz; and

(3) begin the team building process and brainstorming of team goals in preparation for the trip.

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Call #1: Introduction to Guatemala Internship

Overview of the mission and goals of Global HEED initiatives in Guatemala. Discussion of logistics, including communication expectations, evaluation, and code of conduct.

Call #2: Individual and Team Building

Discussion of individual and team goals. Results from a Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) will be discussed in the context of leadership and decision-making styles. Topics in cultural competency and cross-cultural medicine will also be covered.

Call #3: Development and Microfinance

Discussion of global/international developmen in theory and practice. Discussion of microfinance as a tool for poverty alleviation, both globally and in Guatemala. Goal is to orient new volunteers to the broader context in which they will be working.

Call #4: Health Education and Casa Materna, Part 1 (subtopics: Pregnancy and Birth, Neonatal Sepsis, Introduction to Casa Materna)

Discussion of Casa Materna as a space for work and engagement with community. Goal is to ensure all volunteers have a good understanding of the environment in which they will be serving (culturally and geographically).

Call #5: VMOSA (Vision, Mission, Objectives, Strategies, and Action Plans)

Goal is to collaboratively develop the framework for a team mission statement prior to arrival in Calhuitz. Call will be led by Graduate Student Field Fellows.

Call #6: Health Education and Casa Materna, Part 2

Wrap up discussion of Casa Materna. Goal is to ensure all volunteers feel prepared to participate in activities in Calhuitz. Opportunity for any last-minute questions prior to departure.

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To prepare for each call, Fellows will be asked to read journal articles, project summaries, and other materials compiled by the Guatemala Project Team. Goals for the readings and guided reflection questions will be provided to help facilitate discussion during the calls.

Further, Guatemala Project Team members will be available to answer questions during the calls and via email over the course of the training program.