Pacific Union College Hosts First Global Health Symposium

Pacific Union College (PUC), a Seventh-day Adventist school in Angwin, California, United States, recently hosted its inaugural Global Health Symposium in collaboration with Loma Linda University School of Public Health (LLUSPH).

The event dived into the complexities of global health issues through dynamic discussions, interactive breakout and poster sessions, and an insightful keynote speech. Approximately 85 people registered for the one-day campus event, spanning a diverse group of professionals, including doctors, nurses, community members, and students.

According to Global Health director Nancy Jacobo, the symposium was inspired by several needs: to raise awareness around global health and careers in the field; highlight PUC’s 4+1 Global Health Program; and ultimately, attract a new generation of global health students and future practitioners.

“We hope that attendees came away with a sense of the importance of being aware of health outcomes and health disparities that exist in our communities and abroad,” Jacobo said.

During the symposium, participants had the opportunity to engage with seven booths focused on specific health topics, including the Northern California Conference initiative on homelessness, Blue Zones, Adventist Health’s mobile clinic, and more. Gilbert Burnham, a Johns Hopkins University emeritus professor of International Health with extensive medical experience working abroad, gave the keynote speech titled “Global Change: Looking at Now and Tomorrow through a Public Health Lens.”

Additionally, there were four breakout session speakers, including Josue Orellana Guevara, who discussed “Emerging Trends in Global Health for Humanitarian Organizations”; LLUSPH professor Ronald Mataya, who explored “An Integrated Approach to Improving Maternal, Newborn and Child Health in Low Resource Settings”; Deputy District Attorney Kristen Orlando, who presented on “Human Trafficking: Identification, Response, and Prevention”; and registered public health nurse Philip Wegner, who shared “The Story and Challenge of Tuberculosis: The Greatest Failure in the History of Public Health.”

One student attendee received a door prize for an all-expenses-paid LLU mission trip to be used when they attend the university.

The symposium highlighted the dually beneficial and flourishing partnership between PUC’s Global Health Program and LLUSPH, which ultimately allows both schools to pool valuable resources and provides a streamlined pathway for global health professionals — four years pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Global Health degree at PUC and one year pursuing a Master of Public Health at LLU. Students also see significant savings with the opportunity to graduate with a master’s degree in public health in five years versus the typical six.

Planning for the next symposium in 2025 will soon be under way. This symposium will be hosted at La Sierra University in Riverside, California, with the intention to rotate locations between campuses each year.

“We hope this symposium will lead to more global engagement and inspire the next generation of global health professionals and globally engaged community members,” Jacobo said.

The original version of this story was posted on the Pacific Union College news site.