Daniel Goldstein intercalating medical student in interlational health

The new BSc in international health at Leeds was created as a direct result of pressure from students and members of MedSIN (Medical Students International Network). We felt that conventional intercalated bachelors degrees didn't cover the issues that were of interest and importance to us. We were also convinced that many other students would be interested in such a course.

We first met with Rhys Williams, the then professor of public health and epidemiology, with our idea and crucially he was interested and wanted to know more. Had he not been, our plans for a new BSc would have ended there.

Williams asked us to produce a formal written proposal, which we later presented at a meeting of experts in international health from the university. Our proposal stated why we wanted to study health in developing countries and why we wanted to understand the diseases that poor people are susceptible to. We also referred to a similar course that was about to start in London (www.ihmec.ucl.ac.uk) and a proposed curriculum design by Medact (www.medact.org).

After much debate, designs for the modules, teaching plans, and proposals for dissertations were eventually produced. We were invited back to comment on these, and to discuss whether they filled our requirements and interests.

Two months into the new course, the 19 other students and I now feel that our minds are being stretched in ways that we could not have imagined before. We think about health systems in a maturer manner, we are taught to understand health in its broader context, and we are starting to grasp the deeper concepts and reasons for ill health in developing countries. We also study practical solutions to problems and critically analyse their effectiveness. This will undoubtedly be of great advantage to us in the future whether we choose to practise public health or clinical medicine.

For further information on setting up courses in international health--BSc degrees, special subject modules, and core curriculums--see www.medsin.org/ih