Educating the next generation of global health leaders is central to the mission of UCSF Institute for Global Health Sciences (IGHS). Guided by the vision of founder Haile Debas and propelled by the widespread interest and enthusiasm of students and trainees, IGHS has been a leader in establishing the field of global health sciences as an academic discipline.
We provide interdisciplinary coursework, research training, and invaluable field experiences to our students, and have hundreds of graduates who are addressing critical health challenges around the world. IGHS offered the nation’s first global health master’s degree; developed innovative education programs for health professionals, basic scientists, and international scholars; and launched a PhD program that awarded UCSF's first doctorates in global health sciences in 2019.
IGHS collaborates with faculty in UCSF’s four professional schools (Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Dentistry) and the Graduate Division to teach in our programs, build a global health education network, and foster a global perspective for all UCSF students, residents, fellows, post-docs, and faculty members. IGHS also partners with other institutions and international organizations to design education programs for specific needs and locations.
Current programs
Our People
Leadership and Administration
- Inez Bailey, MS,, Senior Director of Academic Development and Strategy
- Elizabeth Fair, PhD, MPH, Director of Education
Program Directors and Curriculum Support Team
Masters Program in Global Health Sciences
- Christopher Carpenter, MD, MPH, Program Director
- Alden Blair, PhD, MSc, Associate Program Director
- Ingrid Chen, PhD, MS, Associate Program Director
- Jennifer Chinwuba, MS, Course Assistant
- Atnasia Mekonnen, MS, Course Assistant
- Ashley Mitchell, MPH, Course Assistant
- Olamide (Lammy) Sanuth, MS, Course Assistant
PhD Program in Global Health Sciences
- Elizabeth Fair, PhD, MPH, Program Director
- Ali Mirzazadeh, PhD, MD, MPH, Associate Program Director
Global Health Education and Student Affairs Team
- Minerva Lee, Education Programs Assistant
- Darlene Mergillano, MS, Graduate Affairs Officer
- Tammy Spath, Outreach and External Relations Officer
Our Partners
- Aravind Eye Institute
- Blum Center for Developing Economies
- Eustace-Kwan Family Foundation
- FACES (Family AIDS Care & Education Services)
- Foundation for Mother and Child Health India
- Gilead Foundation
- Global AIDS Interfaith Alliance (GAIA)
- Global Healing - TIGRE Initiative
- Global Health Bootcamp
- Global Partners in Anesthesia and Surgery
- Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust
- HEAL Initiative
- India Smiles
- Indian Health Service
- Institute for Global Orthopaedics and Traumatology (IGOT)
- Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA)
- Joseph Drown Foundation
- King’s College London Centre for Global Health
- Lacor Hospital
- Last Mile Health
- Makerere University
- Management Sciences for Health
- Marie Stopes International
- Master of Translational Medicine UC Berkeley/UCSF
- Metabiota
- MetroHealth Systems
- Migori County Referral Hospital
- Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH)
- Organic Health Response
- Project Open Hand
- PRONTO International
- Salud Mesoamerica Initiative
- San Francisco State University
- TREAT Asia
- Tribal Health Initiative
- UC Berkeley School of Public Health
- UCSF Center for AIDS Prevention Studies (CAPS)
- UCSF Center for Global Surgical Studies
- UCSF East Africa Preterm Birth Initiative
- UCSF Malaria Elimination Initiative
- UCSF Center for Global Health Nursing
- University of Namibia
- World Health Organization
- Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center