Maternal & Child Health

The Maternal and Child Health (MCH) program at Cluj School of Public Health aims to introduce participants to MCH issues in a post-communist, middle-income country, specifically Romania. The 4-week program will approach critical health issues such as neonatal and infant mortality and morbidity, reproductive health and antenatal care, breastfeeding, nutrition, malnutrition and obesity, mental health, health inequalities, child disability and health, child health and development, smoking and exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke, violence and injury prevention as well as cross-cutting themes such as health promotion and health policy. Applicants are encouraged to state in their cover letter their field of interest, as the program will be tailored to best-fit the interests of participants. The program is structured on 4 weeks of class-based and field-work activities, with three main dimensions intertwined throughout the program:

Clinical/community services (S): scholars will attend planned visits to specialties provided by MCH disciplines and have open discussions with practitioners in the field (general practice, obstetrics-gynecology, paediatrics – general and specialized, psychology, social work). Participants will also have the opportunity to learn about support-services for underserved or otherwise vulnerable groups.

Community engagement/health promotion (EP): scholars will learn about population-based interventions meant to advance maternal and child health in Romania. Both community-based, small-scale programs as well as large public health interventions are approached.

Public health research (R): participants will learn and critically discuss the main maternal and child health indicators in the context of Romania. They will also learn hands-on how to conduct literature and scoping reviews for selected MCH issues. Scholars will also learn about designing and implementing public health research, and understand the opportunities and barriers of conducting research in middle-income countries. They will work with public health researchers to identify the main research needs in Romania as well as discuss strategies for translating them into practice.

All activities will fit into one or more of the dimensions above (S, EP or R), and will offer participants a comprehensive understanding of MCH issues. In addition, participants will undergo an orientation session at the beginning of the program in Cluj-Napoca as well as introductory sessions on MCH issues, indicators and instruments. At the end of the program, participants are requested to submit an individual report, reflecting the activities they undertook and lessons learned.

Educational objectives:

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

  • Critically discuss and compare maternal and child health indicators
  • Effectively identify health needs for mothers and children
  • Understand and map services offered to mothers and children in Romania
  • Scope a maternal and child health program and/or policy
  • Identify stakeholders and key actors for MCH programs
  • Work effectively in a multi-national and multi-cultural team

Eligibility & Requirements

To be considered for the Global Health Program, students must meet the following requirements:​

  • undergraduate or graduate students in health sciences or related fields
  • interest in the public health field
  • 18 years of age or older

Professional Skills:

  • good analytical and evaluative skills
  • strong interpersonal and communication skills
  • good organizational skills, efficiency and flexibility
  • computer skills, including familiarity with Microsoft products (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint), email software, internet searching engines, and other programs

Costs

Program fee is 3.150 U.S. Dollars/month.

The fee includes housing, mentoring & support, on-site orientation, accommodation during the mapping exercise and assistance throughout the application process. The fee does not include international travel, meals costs, personal effects, or incidentals.

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How to apply

The applications can be submitted online continuously. Please send any additional inquiries to info.international@publichealth.ro.

The evaluation process will take place at the end of each month, the results being communicated to the students in the first week of the following month after the date of application. Students will have to confirm their participation in 2 weeks’ time after receiving the letter of acceptance, by sending an email and paying at least 10% of the program fee.

Please send any additional inquiries to info.international@publichealth.ro.

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FAQ

Where will I be based and where will activities take place within the summer course?

The home-base of Cluj School of Public Health is the vibrant city of Cluj-Napoca, Romania. At least half of the program (the first and final weeks) will unfold here. Scholars will also have the opportunity to explore a second academic center in Transylvania, the multicultural city of Targu-Mures, where they will have activities scheduled within the second week of the program. Additionally, scholars will also spend up to one week in rural settings in Transylvania, understanding MCH issues affecting underserved areas, through a hands-on approach.

Are there any pre-requisites to the program?

Students applying to the program must be undergraduate or graduate students, studying health sciences or related areas. Please state in the application letter your previous experience in the area of health in general or maternal and child health in particular; based on the profile of the applicants and their previous experience in MCH, the program can be adjusted to fit the needs of the group.

How will I overcome the language barrier?

All courses will be taught in English, and for all fieldwork activities translation will be available. There will be a rate of 2-3 international scholars to one Romanian public health student or research assistant (proficient in English), who will provide support throughout the program.

What will be the size of the group?

The MCH summer course is expected to have a minimum number of 7 participants and a maximum number of 12 participants. If the minimum number (7 participants) is not reached, then the summer school will not be organized this year. If you are interested in applying, please let us know via email as soon as possible in the application process, so we can advise on the process.

For more details and questions, do not hesitate to contact us at: info.international@publichealth.ro