Boston College’s chapter of GlobeMed will host an event called “Barriers to Healthcare” this Saturday in Fulton 511. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Dean of the School of Social Work Gautam Yadama, Thomas Chiles of the biology department, and other speakers will lecture on the challenges confronting public health in the modern world. The event is open to BC students, alumni, and faculty, as well members of GlobeMed from other universities.
GlobeMed is a nonprofit organization with 60 chapters in universities across the country. Its mission is “to strengthen the movement for global health equity by empowering students and communities to work together to improve the health of people living in poverty around the world,” according to its website. Each chapter is partnered with a community health organization, with BC’s chapter paired with the Chinmaya Organization for Rural Development in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India.
The conference aims to bring students into contact with academics, researchers, and professionals in the fields related to public health. The event will feature a lecture on the Lancet Commision on Environmental Health, the breakout sessions Innovative Solutions to Access in Resource Limited Settings and Challenges to Healthcare Access for Refugees and Migrants, an Alumni Panel, and an expert panel entitled Barriers to Healthcare for Vulnerable Populations.
“By bringing bright minds together to discuss the challenges facing communities and individuals as they seek access to health service, we hope to provoke important conversations while fostering learning and opportunities to combat the inequities that propagate systemic barriers to care,” GlobeMed’s statement on the event reads.
BC’s chapter was founded in 2010, and now contains over 75 members. With the event, GlobeMed hopes to provide means for students outside the three-course public health track to pursue their interest in public health and gain knowledge on what working in the field after graduation would entail.
Featured Image via GlobeMed
