Location

Accra, Kumasi, Cape Coast, Ghana

Program Description

This course will focus on the global healthcare system in West Africa. Students will explore physical and social environments to understand individual, societal, and population-based influences on health and well-being while discovering the rich history of the Gold Coast in Ghana.

When not interacting with healthcare providers, we will explore the countryside, take hikes in beautiful terrain, and enjoy the beauty of the coastal area.

This program is open to graduate and undergraduate students enrolled in the nursing program. Graduate students will receive 1 clinical practicum credit in primary care, women's health, or pediatrics. Undergraduate students will enroll in 2 credits and explore physical and social environments to understand individual, societal and population-based influences on health and well-being.

The undergraduate course will be instructed by Elizabeth Herron. The graduate course will be instructed by Andrea Knopp.

Location Description

Ghana was the first African country south of the Sahara to gain political independence from British colonial rule. It was from its shores that European merchants engaged in the Trans-Atlantic slave trade. Students will learn from exploring museums that preserve the nation's history as well as clinical experiences in the centrally located city of Kumasi.

Director

Andrea Knopp | knoppaf@jmu.edu | Nursing

Elizabeth Herron | herronek@jmu.edu | Nursing

Accommodations

In Accra, students will stay at Forest View Hotel and can have single rooms; standard will be shared double rooms. Private transportation will be provided.

In Kumasi, students will stay at NODA hotel with private transportation provided. At Cape Coast, students will stay at Coconut Grove in El Mina, a beachside resort.

Breakfast will be included at locations with lunch and dinner options. A stipend will be provide for meals outside the hotels.

Additional Items to Consider

Students will need to attend 3 pre-departure meetings held at JMU CHBS. The meetings will be approx 60 mins and will be held Oct. 16, 2024, Oct. 30, 2024 and Nov. 13, 2024.

Current passport, visa, and required immunizations are necessary.

Applicant Criteria

Applicants must have a GPA minimum of 2.0

Open to undergraduate and graduate nursing students