Pfizer Global Health Fellowship in China

I started my Pfizer Global Health Fellowship with Project HOPE in Shanghai with a week of introductions, learning about the mission, goals, and focus of Project HOPE in China. The Shanghai staff discussed their programs, each program’s impact and their excitement to have me onboard.

I will be developing a strategy to convert Project HOPE’s on-the-ground training programs into on-line training.  The programs I am targeting are the Rural Health Training Program, Women’s Health/Cervical Cancer Education Program, and Pediatric Non-Communicable Disease – specifically ventilation management.

I spent the first week of my fellowship immersing myself in the programs and eating lunch at the Shanghai Children’s Medical Center cafeteria with the various health professionals. I quickly learned that pork is a staple here. Though I was a bit awkward with the chopsticks, my Project HOPE hosts were forgiving, and I am getting the hang of things.

There are five full-time staff members in the Project HOPE office in PuDong.  There are also two interns and a part-time office manager in PuXi, which is across the river and considered Old Shanghai.  I felt instantly welcomed in this office as Jenny Xu, the head of the Pediatric Nutrition program, provided me with a “white coat” so that I could blend in with the other health care professionals at the hospital.

After meeting with Lily Hsu, the Program Director at the Shanghai office, I quickly began work on my main goals, developing an eLearning strategy and securing a Learning Management System.  I also started on my three initial action items: Good Clinical Practice Training (GCP), a “Train the Trainer” session for Project HOPE staff, and an overview of the Pfizer Global Health Fellow Program.

For the GCP training session, we have sent a list of questions clarifying our request to the Shanghai Children’s Medical Center.  As soon as we have a clearer understanding of their expectations, I will work with my contact at Pfizer China to secure a resource to conduct a GCP clinic for the SCMC staff.