Center for Global Health announces spring travel grant recipients

The MUSC Center for Global Health is pleased to announce the 2025 spring cycle recipients of its student and trainee Global Health travel grant awards.

Annually, the center offers MUSC students and trainees opportunities to apply for grants of up to $2,000 each for international travel to low- and middle-income countries. The goal of each award is to assist recipients in furthering their global health service learning and training in communities abroad. Awarded projects can be research, service-learning, or educational in nature.
This year’s student and trainee global health travel grant awardees include:

Anjali Borsum

• College of Medicine
• Project title: Evaluating Intraventricular Hemorrhage in Neonates in Soddo, Ethiopia
• Location: Soddo, Ethiopia
• Project description: While at Soddo Christian Hospital, Borsum will observe various specialties, including OBGYN, orthopedic surgery, pediatrics and anesthesia, while working on a research project that focuses on treatment of intraventricular hemorrhage in neonates.

Elizabeth Danahy, M.D.

• College of Medicine, Radiology Resident
• Project title: Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Diagnostic and Interventional Imaging
• Location: Masindi, Uganda
• Project description: Dr. Danahy will be completing a radiology rotation at Masindi-Kitara Medical Center. She will be working with local physicians and specialists, assisting in clinical duties, including inpatient rounds, imaging discussion, performance and interpretation of imaging studies and image-guided procedures.

Alyson “Allie” Dennis, M.D., MS

• College of Medicine, Emergency Medicine Resident
• Project title: St. Croix Emergency Medicine Clinical Experience
• Location: U.S. Virgin Island – St. Croix
• Project description: Dr. Dennis, as part of a clinical rotation, will study the differences in emergency medicine practice outside of a large academic medical facility while participating in direct patient care, diagnosing disease and treating the local population, which helps develop an understanding of the unique, local culture.

Jade Edwards

• College of Health Professions, Occupational Therapy
• Project title: Analyzing Children’s Play in Uganda to Inform Healthcare Education Through Infographics
• Location: Masindi, Uganda
• Project description: Edwards will travel to Uganda to work with underserved populations in the Masindi community. The primary aim for the project is to observe children under the age of 13, documenting the type of play participated in with the goal of understanding its impact on overall development. She plans to develop an educational infographic to inform future providers.

Ashlyn Gregory

• College of Pharmacy
• Project title: Pharmacy Rotation with OneWorld Health
• Location: Masindi, Uganda
• Project description: Gregory will travel to Masindi Kitara Hospital to conduct patient assessment, assist with medication distribution and patient education, specifically seeking to address conditions such as malaria, HIV, tuberculosis and hypertension – diseases that have a significant impact on the local population.

Stephany Kim, M.D.

• College of Medicine, General Surgery Resident
• Project title: Pilot Survey for Developing a Resident Global Surgery Rotation in Partnership with the Cinterandes Foundation
• Location: Cuenca, Ecuador
• Project description: Dr. Kim will travel to Ecuador to evaluate and assess potential for creating a global surgery fellowship in partnership with Cinterandes Foundation. She will participate in a mobile surgery unit to provide assistance in performing various surgical procedures in underserved communities. She has also submitted a presentation for consideration and will be attending the 37th PanAmerican Congress of Trauma, Clinical Care, and Emergency Surgery.

Gabrielle Martin

• College of Dental Medicine
• Project title: Expanding Access to Dental Care: A Mission to Underserved Communities in Costa Rica
• Location: San Jose, Costa Rica
• Project description: Through a project with the Dental Community Fellowship, Martin will travel to underserved areas of San Jose to provide dental care to individuals without regular access to such services. She will observe and assist with examinations, dental cleanings, extractions, fillings and oral hygiene education to local residents.

Shamiyun “Sami” Noor

• College of Health Professions – Health Administration
• Project title: Emergency Preparedness and Climate Change: Preparing Healthcare Systems for Extreme Heat
• Location: Dhaka, Bangladesh
• Project description: Noor will travel to Bangladesh to conduct a field visit in Dhaka, focusing on understanding and documenting best practices in anticipatory actions for managing extreme heat events. Dhaka in recent years has experienced record-high temperatures causing local fatalities due to heat-related conditions. Noor will explore early action protocols and operational frameworks implemented locally that seek to reduce the impacts of heat waves on vulnerable populations.

Tania Thomas

• College of Pharmacy
• Project title: Exploring & Contributing to Global Health in Uganda: Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience
• Location: Masindi, Uganda
• Project description: While at Masindi Kitara Hospital, Thomas will deepen her understanding of prevalent diseases in Uganda, such as malaria, HIV/AIDS, and tuberculosis while investigating how medication procurement, storage and distribution occur in resource-constrained settings. She will also partake in community outreach programs focused on health education and awareness, seeking to equip her with skills and knowledge to transition from a student to a capable and compassionate clinical pharmacist.

Interested applicants were required to submit a cover page, project proposal, personal essay, program budget, letters of support and resume. Awardees must use the funds within the next 12 months.

In addition to the funds provided to support their travels, students and trainee grant recipients also have access to free resources from the University’s travel, health and security assistance provider, International SOS, as do all individuals traveling abroad while representing MUSC. The company offers 24/7 access to medical and travel assistance, emotional and mental health support and security advice while abroad. Students and trainees are required to comply with the MUSC international travel policy, including requesting review and approval via the University’s travel registry.

For more information about the center’s travel grants, please visit https://web.musc.edu/about/global-health/funding/student-and-trainee-travel-grant.