Family Health Ministries
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University Student Programs

Family Health Ministries, in partnership with the Duke Global Health Institute, provides research and service opportunities in Haiti to undergraduate, graduate, and medical students. While in Haiti, students provide the talent and manpower to collect and analyze data from the current FHM programs. Through the students’ participation and current data collection, Family Health Ministries is able to evaluate and adapt our work on a continual basis to provide better solutions for the ever-changing healthcare needs of the Haitian community.

Since 2007, Family Health Ministries has hosted students in Haiti. All of the selected research programs compliment Family Health Ministries’ vision and need for data collection to plan future interventions in collaboration with the Haitian Ministry of Health. A number of our students return to work with us in graduate school. Students over the last five years have participated in projects related to:

  • Nutritional and vaccination status of Haitian Children

“Nutritional and Vaccination Status of Children in theTerre Noir Neighborhood of Port-au-Prince, Haiti” by Joel C. Boggan, Duke University

  • GIS Mapping of Leogane Healthcare Systems Pre- and Post-Earthquake.

“The Healthcare Infrastructure of Leogane, Haiti: A Pre and Post-Earthquake Analysis Using Geographic Information Systems” by Maxwell Klingerman, Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University

  • Qualitative Surveys of Reasons for High Maternal Mortality

“Need and Desire for Maternal Healthcare in Rural Haiti”,  Katherine Weigert

  • Development of Creole Education Materials on Cervical Cancer Prevention

“Cervical Cancer Prevention in Haiti” video by Duke Engage Students (2009)

  • Review of Contraception and Breastfeeding Practices

“Health Beliefs and Contraception Use in Leogane, Haiti: A Qualitative Study” by Fan Yang, Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University

“Factors Associated with Birth Spacing and Contraceptive Use in Leogane, Haiti” by Nahida Chakhtoura, Department of Global Health, Duke University

  • Improved Education of Traditional Haitian Birth Attendants and Rural Healthcare

“Traditional Birth Attendant Education in Fondwa, Haiti” by Marnie Parus Cooper Priest, Department of Global Health, Duke University

  • More Efficient HPV Screening

“Examining the Diagnostic Performance of Vaginal, Self-Screening for High-Risk Human Papillomavirus in Port-au-Prince, Haiti” by Mariana Krueger

  • Monitoring Hypertension in Haitian Communities

The  2014 Duke SRT Students are currently conducting  research on this topic.

university programs

Student Research Training Program at Duke Global Health Institute

Family Health Ministries serves as the community partner to Duke University Student Research Training (SRT) Program students. Working with a faculty director and a community partner, undergraduate students will be at the center of global health challenges and have the opportunity to employ skills learned in the classroom in the community. The SRT program is “an intensive experiential learning program that engages second and third year undergraduate students in the development, implementation and assessment of a community-based project.”

Find out more about FHM’s University Student Programs in Haiti in this video:

How to Apply for FHM University Student Research Programs:

University students are welcome to apply to Family Health Ministries through the SRT program (undergraduate) or the Masters in Global Health program at DGHI. Student must be flexible to work on FHM priority projects and have their own funding. Typical research participants spend 8 weeks in Haiti as part of the experience. Applications must be submitted in the Fall semester prior to expected Summer participation. Contact Schatzi McCarthy, FHM Research Director, for more information.