Expand Intercultural Understanding While Studying Abroad
Duke University School of Nursing believes that cultivating students’ knowledge of global health is critical to their success, development, and enrichment. Our global clinical immersion experiences (GCIE) offer unique opportunities to expand your intercultural understanding while studying nursing abroad. Through these global opportunities, you can enhance your career potential by gaining practical clinical experience and deepening your knowledge of community health and wellness in diverse environments.
Each global experience is developed with course faculty to meet specific program and academic objectives to complement your development and learning. The Office of Global and Community Health Initiatives (OGACHI) continues to explore, identify, and foster bidirectional international nursing program partnerships in which students are actively engaged and develop new GCIE global opportunities for all levels of nursing students.
Hands-On Clinical Experience Meets Cultural Immersion
Our global experiences are academic, research, and service initiatives that provide you observational and hands-on opportunities to work with diverse groups and populations worldwide while you gain valuable clinical experience.
Pre-Licensure Global Experiences
Pre-licensure students can fulfill clinical hours for NUR 397 Community and Public Health Nursing (a second-semester course) through local or global experiences. These rich learning environments provide students invaluable insights into diverse healthcare systems, community-based initiatives, and treatment protocols in different cultural settings:
- Pre-licensure students travel with a clinical instructor to one of our global experience sites for a two-week immersion experience during the break between their second and third semesters.
- Activities typically include community assessment, clinical observations, hands-on experiences in the local healthcare centers, health promotion teaching, home visits, environmental health visits with local health officers, and cultural enrichment activities.
How Do You Get Involved?
The NUR 397 faculty conducted the application process during your first semester at Duke University School of Nursing:
- View the Pre-Licensure GCIE Timeline
- Visit Global Academic and Clinical Sites to learn more
Graduate Global Clinical Opportunities
Duke University School of Nursing graduate students have access to many academically relevant and personally enriching global immersion experiences to satisfy a portion of their academic requirements. Through GCIE study abroad nursing opportunities, students work with global partners to understand community needs, address healthcare challenges, and deepen intercultural awareness and sensitivity. Participation in cultural enrichment activities is encouraged and provides an opportunity to learn about local culture, customs, geography, and history.
MSN Global Clinical Experiences
Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) students who study nursing abroad travel independently to and from global experience sites and use local public transportation for day-to-day travel while in-country. OGACHI works closely with all parties — advisor, student, and global partners — to determine the appropriate academic placement opportunities for any given specialty.
GCIE Trips
MSN study abroad nursing experiences are:
- Typically four weeks in duration
- Always connected with a Duke University School of Nursing course
- Usually occur during semester break just before your final synthesis course
How Do You Get Involved?
MSN students interested in our GCIE international nursing program should:
- Submit MSN applications in February of each year
- Apply early so you have time to prepare
- Discuss your interest in studying nursing overseas with your academic advisor
- View the Graduate GCIE Timeline
- Visit Global Academic and Clinical Sites to learn more
Doctoral Global Experiences
Global opportunities are also available for DNP and PhD students based on their area of study. Please discuss your ideas with your project chair or advisor.
Contact OGACHI before you and your advisor settle on a topic so they can advise you and help you prepare. Some international clinical experience sites may not be appropriate for doctoral study.
Ph.D. students have additional global opportunities with the Duke Global Health Institute and should contact them for more information.
Global Clinical Immersion Team
Eleanor Stevenson, PhD, RN, FAAN
Vice Dean for Global and Community Health Affairs (OGACHI)
eleanor.stevenson@duke.edu
(919) 660-3003
