Global Health Experiences (GHEs) in Physical Therapist Education: Balancing Moral Imperative With Inherent Moral Hazard

Abstract

Background and Purpose. Income inequality and grinding poverty continue almost unabated in many low-income or developing countries, and the summative effect has been increased rates of global morbidity and disability. In order to address these important health disparities, health professionals from high-income or developed countries have increasingly become involved in global health initiatives. Health professional students have also followed this trend, progressively becoming involved in global health experiences (GHEs) as part of their formal education. Position and Rationale. In this position paper, we argue that GHEs are a moral imperative for physical therapy education programs to implement in order to meet students' learning needs and address (in some capacity) emerging global disability patterns. However, GHEs can create moral hazard against which the individual and the host organization must be guarded. Discussion and Conclusion. There are multiple ways to increase the likelihood of mutually beneficial GHEs and mitigate potential risks of moral hazards. This paper highlights the following steps: Establish suitable selection processes for physical therapy student participants; Develop formal and sustainable relationships between the students' education program and the host institution for the GHE; Set and monitor specific learning objectives and mutually established contribution goals for GHEs; and Establish formal pre-departure preparation and post-trip debriefing. While GHEs offer a partial solution to emerging global disability trends, it is our contention that the issue is not whether, but rather how, GHEs should be incorporated into physical therapy curricula to address students' needs, the missions and outcomes of their home institutions, and the needs of the host organizations.