The opportunity to participate in clinical rotations through the AMPATH Kenya partnership is among the reasons many future doctors choose Indiana University School of Medicine. The Brater Family Scholarship in Global Health makes this life and career-altering experience available to students from underrepresented backgrounds in medicine and those who would be unable to participate due to cost.
The Brater Family Scholarship funds up to $5,300 for travel expenses, lodging and program costs to travel to low-income countries, particularly sub-Saharan Africa and the AMPATH Kenya program. This scholarship was established in 2019 by D. Craig Brater, MD, former dean of the IU School of Medicine, and Stephanie Brater, long-time champions of the AMPATH program.
“We have always been committed to the principle that the world will be a better place if individuals from different backgrounds and experiences can learn from one another through immersive experiences,” said Dr. and Mrs. Brater. “We are also committed to the notion that such opportunities should be available for all and in particular those who might not have sufficient resources to do so without financial support. We are delighted that we have been able to assist in this fashion.”
Felix Garcia and Victoria Sanchez, members of the IU School of Medicine Class of 2023, received the Brater Family Scholarship for rotations in Kenya earlier this year.
“AMPATH’s 360-degree care model has become a critical aspect of my education,” said Sanchez. “A goal of mine was to learn about how a global partnership should be structured to optimize ethical operations. I think IU School of Medicine models an excellent bidirectional and sustainable partnership with Moi University through the AMPATH Consortium. This experience would not have come to fruition for me without the external support and funding opportunities available.” Sanchez is headed to Stanford University, also a member of the AMPATH Consortium, for surgery residency.
Earlier research shows that the AMPATH “partnership for medical students and health professional trainees provides a highly impactful, transformative learning experience that fosters the development of global mindedness and community involvements, whether local or global, long after the experience.”
Garcia grew up in a small village in Honduras, where his mother worked at a pharmacy and he would often accompany her into the mountain areas to distribute medication to patients who had no access to transportation or were bedbound. “My passion for medicine and service grew as I witnessed the powerful impact my mother had on her patients. They were incredibly thankful to her, and I was inspired to pursue a similar career path in healthcare to help the most vulnerable,” he said.
Participating in the AMPATH Kenya rotation created a financial strain for Garcia that was relieved by his selection for the Brater scholarship. “I will honor your help by using this experience to become a better doctor and provide excellent service to my future patients,” said Garcia, who also volunteers at the Navari Student Outreach Clinic helping uninsured people in South Bend where he attends medical school.
The intent of the Brater Family Scholarship in Global Health is to give special consideration to IU School of Medicine students who would be unable to participate in an international education experience without receipt of the scholarship. Students from underrepresented minority groups including Hispanic/Latino; American Indian or Alaskan Native; Black or African American; Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander; and/or who are disadvantaged are encouraged to apply.
Dominique Ketsoglou and Ifeoluwa Bolujo have been selected for Brater Scholarships in the 2023-24 academic year.
Bolujo is a Nigerian American student who is the current global health lead for the 7 Elements Student Interest Group. Her interest in global health began while an undergraduate at the University of South Florida. “Being able to go on three international service trips while I was still in college really made me rethink my perspective about health care and life.”
An aspiring surgeon with an interest in tissue engineering to solve the shortage of organ donations, Bolujo took a year off from medical school to pursue a master’s degree in biomedical engineering. She plans to complete a surgical rotation in Kenya. “I hope to learn more about Kenyan patients as well as the differences in healthcare they may experience, and of course, some Swahili,” she added.
“IU’s partnership with Moi University was one of the many things that drew me to the IU School of Medicine,” said Ketsoglou, a third-year student on the Indianapolis campus. “I am eager for this opportunity to continue studying medicine, while collaborating with Kenyan medical students and approaching medicine from a new cultural perspective.” She credits an earlier research experience in Kenya with sparking her interest in medicine.
Students interested in applying should submit no more than 1-page on their purpose and goals for engaging in an international educational experience and indicate that they would be unable to take this elective/experience without external funding. Send applications to Victoria Eder, IU Center for Global Health assistant director for Logistics and Education Programs, by November 30, 2023 for the 2024-25 academic year.
For more information, please contact Jose Espada, IUSM Director of Student Financial Services or Eder.
The Brater Family Scholarship in Global Health is available to medical students underrepresented in medicine (URiM) who exhibit an interest in global health and would like to devote part of their medical school education to traveling to underserved countries to engage in outreach initiatives, particularly students participating in experiences in sub-Saharan Africa and most particularly in Kenya with the AMPATH program or its successor programs.
