The Meharry School of Global Health announced its inaugural class of 53 students who will further the mission of advancing the well-being of the global community. The first of its kind in the U.S., the School of Global Health was launched by Meharry Medical College in 2023 to take a multidisciplinary approach to finding solutions and responding with a global perspective to the complex and evolving health challenges of vulnerable communities.
The announcement of the first cohort drew an overwhelming response from applicants, highlighting the tremendous interest in its distinct mission. The accepted cohort consists of 26 students pursuing master of science degrees in health equity; health law; policy, and management; and master of public health degrees in epidemiology; public health practice; and 27 students pursuing doctoral degrees in global health equity and health law, policy and management. Their areas of focus include population health, mental health, health communications, and social, commercial and political determinants of health.
Students hail from 25 states, with the greatest numbers coming from the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, New York, North Carolina, Texas, California, Georgia and Tennessee.
“Our world faces unprecedented health challenges, and Meharry is uniquely positioned to lead in producing the next generation of global health leaders,” said Daniel Dawes, J.D., senior vice president of global health and founding dean of the School of Global Health at Meharry. “With our long history of training minority health professionals, we understand what it takes to actualize health equity in communities around the globe. Our approach at Meharry goes beyond traditional medical education. We are cultivating experts in public health, population health, health policy, health equity research, entrepreneurship, leadership and beyond. This integrated strategy is essential for driving meaningful advancements in global health. I am honored to guide this extraordinary cohort, whose diverse skills and perspectives will undoubtedly shape the future of health care and public health worldwide.”
Classes at the School of Global Health began Aug. 12, following an orientation that included tributes from public health leaders David Satcher, M.D., Ph.D., the 16th U.S. surgeon general; Richard Besser, M.D., president/CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation; and keynote speaker Donna Christensen, M.D., a former congresswoman and former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Health Braintrust.
The school’s focus on public and population health aligns with Meharry’s mission to advance health equity through research, education, health services and thought leadership. Students will engage in rigorous coursework, exploring topics such as mental and behavioral health, health economics, disaster management and global health security and diplomacy. The core curriculum at the School of Global Health integrates the political determinants of health framework, which explores how political factors such as policies, political decisions and government actions impact public health outcomes. This approach challenges students to analyze and address these political influences on population health, equipping them to develop more effective and equitable health policies and interventions. The school is now accepting applications for the second cohort of students for fall 2025. Visit <meharryglobal.org/academics/>.
“This week marks another historic milestone for Meharry and our contribution to global health,” said Dr. James E.K. Hildreth Sr., chief executive officer and president of Meharry. “We are thrilled to welcome our inaugural class, comprised of exceptionally talented individuals who are eager to take part in the global effort to improve health for all. Their arrival marks a major step in our mission to actively address critical health challenges and drive transformative change globally.”
With nearly 150 years of educating health care professionals dedicated to serving the underserved, Meharry is a leader in advancing health care through its five schools: the School of Medicine, the School of Dentistry, the School of Graduate Studies, the School of Applied Computational Sciences and the School of Global Health. Meharry’s commitment to health equity and diversifying the health care workforce was most recently acknowledged by a $175 million gift from Bloomberg Philanthropies toward the college’s endowment, the largest donation in the college’s history.
