Aims & Objectives

The overarching aim of this course is to equip healthcare professionals with the knowledge and skills necessary to tackle inequalities, collaborate across borders, and optimise care in challenging environments. It facilitates the development of practical skills, clinical knowledge, academic proficiency, and ethical awareness to enhance healthcare and address disparities.

Learning outcomes

• Apply and interpret laboratory methods available at local and district-level clinics in low-resource settings, for the diagnosis of infectious diseases and other medical conditions.
• Critically discuss the epidemiology, clinical presentation, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and nursing management of the major communicable and non-communicable diseases endemic in low-resource settings.
• Critically analyse the determinants of health, and how these are significant in the planning and delivery of health services
• Critically evaluate the ethical and professional responsibilities of healthcare workers in diverse socio-economic and cultural settings, and assess their role in improving health and diminishing health inequities.

Learning, teaching and assessment methods

The programme is taught through live online workshops, self-paced online learning, and online ‘virtual’ laboratory sessions. Students are expected to learn through both directed and self-directed study.

The course is formally assessed through an online laboratory exam (33.33%), an online multiple-choice exam (33.33%), and the submission of a 2500-word essay (33.33%). These assessments are designed to enable students to demonstrate their learning in relation to the course's learning outcomes.

Candidates must pass all three-course components.

Computer requirements

Students will require regular access to a computer with an internet connection, speakers and a microphone to access the LSHTM’s online learning site, where many of the programme’s study resources are located.

Internet connection and web access are essential. If you can stream videos, your connection and device should be sufficient. The main applications used during the programme are LSHTM’s online learning platform Moodle, Collaborate, Zoom, and videos.

It is recommended that users run the latest version of Google Chrome.