The Humanitarian Studies Course
The Humanitarian Studies Course (HSC) is a collaborative educational program designed to train medical residents, fellows, nurses, public health and policy graduate students along with other professionals with a vested interest in humanitarian relief operations to carry out effective international health and humanitarian work. HSC will train participants in current humanitarian issues as well as the methodologies and essential skills that best prepare humanitarian workers to operate in the field.The Humanitarian Studies Course is offered to the public and is currently run twice a year. The 'HSIR' or 'Humanitarian Studies Initiatitive for Residents' program which is open to public, is run separately from the Humanitarian Studies in the Field program which is a Harvard School of Public Health course run by the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative. Participants from both programs take part in a joint training simulation exercise which is held in the spring near Boston, Massachusetts.
Through coursework, the online community and at the weekend simulation exercise participants have the ability to interact with faculty and students from a wide variety of esteemed institutions such as:
Academic Institutions:
- Harvard Medical School
- Harvard School of Public Health
- The John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University
- Tufts University
- The Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University
- McGill University
- University of Chicago
- Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Mass General Hospital
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
- Childrens Hospital of Boston
- Boston Medical Center
- Oxfam
- Centers for Disease Control and Protection
- International Rescue Committee
- Doctor's Without Borders (Medecins Sans Frontieres)
- Physicians for Human Rights
- Remote Medicine
Each participant is expected to use his or her own personal time, approved elective time or approved work time to fulfill the program requirements. Participation in the Humanitarian Studies Course includes:
- Academic classroom course on humanitarian issues
- Weekend long field simulation exercise
- Online resources and community
- Mentorship by Harvard Humanitarian Initiative faculty
In addition, residents/fellows/students are invited to participate in educational opportunities highlighting humanitarian issues offered at affiliated hospitals, at the Harvard School of Public Health, and throughout Harvard University. Participants are encouraged to seek placements in the field where humanitarian relief and public health programs are ongoing. As mentors, HSC faculty will assist you with the logistics of applying for and participating in field opportunities.