by Erin Tech and Matt Windsor
In July, UAB’s Sparkman Center for Global Health marked the return of its redesigned Summer Institute workshop after nearly two decades. The weeklong intensive program was led by Sparkman Center Director Olakunle Alonge, M.D., Ph.D., MPH, and other experts in the application of implementation research to global health settings. They trained 28 participants in the use of implementation research concepts and methods to address health inequities in global health research and practice at scale.
Twenty-five national and international participants traveled to Birmingham for the Summer Institute; three UAB School of Public Health faculty and staff members also participated. “I expected maybe 10 to 15 participants this year, so we are excited to see such a positive response,” Alonge said.
"Invaluable insights"
“I was particularly interested in the institute’s focus on health equity, since most of my research is with sexual and gender minority communities, who in most parts of the world, including in my country, Kenya, bear a disproportionate burden of ill health,” said Samuel Waweru Mwaniki, an epidemiologist and pharmacist at the University of Nairobi who is working with the Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa. “I wanted to gain knowledge and skills that I could apply in my work.”
During the institute, Mwaniki was mentored by Sarah MacCarthy, Sc.D., associate professor in the Department of Health Behavior in the UAB School of Public Health and Endowed Chair of Magic City LGBTQ Health Studies. He also worked closely with MacCarthy’s team in the Deep South Initiative for Advancing Sexual and Gender Minority Health, or DASH. “They were all very welcoming and offered invaluable insights to support the design and development of my proposed research project,” Mwaniki said.
"Immensely beneficial"
One of the UAB staff attendees was Martina Gonzalez Gomez, M.D., M.Sc., global neurosurgery program manager in the Department of Neurosurgery in the UAB Heersink School of Medicine. Gonzalez is integrating global health education in the neurosurgery residency training program and “working toward establishing a formal global neurosurgery fellowship,” she said. Gonzalez also is co-instructor for a global surgery course that is part of UAB’s recently launched Master of Science degree program in global health from the Heersink School of Medicine and School of Public Health.
“The significance of research in surgery is crucial to advance health care globally,” Gonzalez said. “I have witnessed how policy formulation and advancement in research can have such an important effect on health systems and populations. However, despite having well-articulated plans, research and policy changes often take many years, with multiple steps before making a tangible impact on the population. This realization has driven me to understand more about implementation science and is why I applied to the Summer Institute.”
During the institute, Gonzalez applied the training to a pilot project on intraoperative neuromonitoring that is part of a partnership between UAB/Children’s of Alabama and hospitals in Vietnam. “I found it immensely beneficial to prepare and present my project, receiving insightful feedback from both instructors and peers,” Gonzalez said. “Moreover, the interaction with attendees from various countries was exceptionally rewarding, providing a platform to broaden perspectives and learn from the diverse experiences shared by all participants.”
Creating meaningful partnerships
The training format included a mixture of lectures, moderated discussions and breakout groups, along with cultural experiences in Birmingham, such as a visit to the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. The week concluded with case presentations from all trainees.
“I enjoyed the diversity of both the faculty and participants, as well as the individual presentations of the latter,” Mwaniki said. “There was so much to learn. I highly recommend the institute to anyone from any part of the world interested in applying implementation research to address inequities in global health.”
“We look forward to continuing this program each year and creating meaningful partnerships to conquer global health problems together on an international scale,” Alonge said. He and his team are already preparing for next year’s Summer Institute, with dates set tentatively for July 16–22, 2025, and an application window opening April 1.
Learn more about the Sparkman Center for Global Health at uab.edu/sparkmancenter; contact sparkmancenter@uab.edu with any questions.
