The development and enrichment of global health education opportunities are a part of the SIUE School of Pharmacy's strategic initiative. Global partnerships have significantly grown over the years, opening up numerous initiatives for both students and faculty. The primary focus is on enhancing students’ cultural competency and understanding of healthcare delivery across the world.

Students who participate in global opportunities through the SIUE School of Pharmacy gain a better understanding of different cultures and socioeconomic factors, exposure to alternative medicines and therapies, as well as the chance to travel internationally.

Be A Part of the Cause

There are opportunities for you to support these global experiences by directly participating, donating supportive materials, or sponsoring a student's experience with gifts of different sizes.

Make a Gift to the "Pharmacy Global Education Experiences” Fund

Guatemala

Guatemala Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience Elective

Ambulatory Care and Public Health in Antigua, Guatemala 

Transform Lives. Advance Your Pharmacy Practice. 

The SIUE School of Pharmacy offers a two to four-week Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (APPE) in Antigua, Guatemala, focused on ambulatory care, public health education, and community outreach. Students collaborate with Saint Louis University School of Medicine physicians, medical students, and local Guatemalan healthcare providers to deliver care in Antigua, as well as rural mountain communities, addressing critical health disparities while practicing pharmacy in a global context. 

To prepare, students complete a medical Spanish elective during their P3 year and participate in intensive Spanish tutoring (if not fluent) with a Guatemalan instructor to build language proficiency and cultural competence. During the rotation, students provide clinical assessment and treatment, select and dispense medications, counsel patients, and deliver disease prevention education alongside Guatemalan primary care providers. They gain firsthand experience working in clinics continually operated by Guatemalan providers trained in primary care and community health. 

This experience deepens students’ clinical skills, cultural responsiveness, health literacy awareness, and understanding of public health challenges in underserved populations. Many describe it as transformative, enhancing their Spanish fluency and broadening their perspectives on global healthcare. As Thomas Kelly, Class of 2017, shared, “Students have an amazing opportunity to immerse themselves in another culture, to learn to speak or improve upon a foreign language, and to have interesting experiences in what is a truly unique rotation. Students should be adventurous and explore everything Guatemala has to offer.” 

The average cost is approximately $2000 per student, with travel in February. SIUE provides up to $750 in financial support per student, though funds are limited. Pharmacists and alumni can support this program by volunteering, donating supplies, or sponsoring students through the Pharmacy Global Education Experiences fund. 

Offered since 2015, this program is coordinated by Dr. Misty Gonzalez and Dr. Carrie Vogler. For more information about the Guatemala APPE Mission Trip or to apply for future trips, please contact Dr. Misty Gonzalez at misgonz@siue.edu. 

India

Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience Elective 

Student Exchange Program with JSS College of Pharmacy 

Transform Lives. Advance Your Pharmacy Practice. 

Pharmacy students can expand their horizons through the SIUE School of Pharmacy’s partnership with JSS College of Pharmacy in Karnataka, India. Established in 1973, JSS is one of the state’s oldest and most respected pharmacy institutions, known for its excellence in training pharmacy professionals. Each year, up to three APPE students are selected for this unique student exchange program. SIUE students spend five weeks immersed in India’s pharmacy campus and healthcare system, while JSS students spend up to eight weeks at SIUE with an affiliated clinical practice site. This program offers an unparalleled opportunity for cultural immersion, professional growth, and global learning. 

During their time in India, SIUE students gain hands-on experience in specialized areas such as infectious diseases, psychiatric medicine, and pharmacovigilance, while learning about public health systems and pharmacy practice from a global perspective. Living and learning alongside Indian faculty and students enhances cultural awareness, competence, and adaptability, which are essential skills for pharmacists working in diverse patient care settings. Students consistently describe this rotation as transformative, broadening their perspectives, deepening their understanding of global health disparities, and preparing them to become culturally responsive practitioners. 

The average cost of this elective is approximately $2000 per student, with travel occurring in October. SIUE provides up to $750 in financial support per student, although funds are limited. This program was implemented in Summer 2014, and the faculty contact is to be determined. 

Jamaica

Dental Mission Trip in Rural Jamaica

For over twenty years, students, faculty, and alumni from the SIUE School of Pharmacy have traveled to rural Jamaica to participate in the Jamaica Dental Mission (JDM), partnering with dentists and dental students from across the United States and Canada to provide compassionate care to underserved communities. 

The JDM provides an ambulatory care-focused experience as students engage directly with patients to assess chronic disease risks, educate them on hypertension and diabetes management, and provide referrals to local healthcare providers to ensure continuity of care. Pharmacy students play a vital role by screening patients prior to dental procedures, checking blood pressure and blood glucose, dispensing medications, providing post-operative education, and optimizing medication therapies in collaboration with the dental team.  

This work has a meaningful public health impact. In the past three years alone, over 1800 patients received blood pressure screenings and more than 250 had blood glucose measured, identifying hundreds with prehypertension or undiagnosed hypertension and dozens with elevated blood glucose levels, many of whom were unaware of their condition. Students develop culturally responsive education materials for patients with hypertension or diabetes and provide referrals for follow-up care to local health providers.  

This immersive, week-long experience costs approximately $1600 per student and provides invaluable real-world skills in clinical screening, patient education, and interprofessional collaboration while serving communities with limited healthcare access. The JDM has been coordinated by Dr. Chris Lynch and Dr. Jenny Rosselli-Lynch since its implementation in Summer 2005. 

Ready to make a difference? 

For more information about the Jamaica Dental Mission Trip or to apply for future trips, please contact Dr. Chris Lynch at jalynch@siue.edu.