HMB323H1S - Global Health Research

Course Syllabus 2016-17

Instructor: Dr. Helen Dimaras, PhD

Assistant Professor, University of Toronto: Department of Ophthalmology & Vision
Sciences, Faculty of Medicine; Division of Clinical Public Health, Dalla Lana School
of Public Health; and
Scientist, SickKids Research Institute: Ophthalmology & Vision Sciences; Child
Health Evaluative Sciences; Centre for Global Child Health.
Lectures: Mondays 3 - 6 pm, Wilson Hall, New College, 40 Willcocks St., Room WI 524
Office Hours: Mondays 6 - 7pm, Wilson Hall, New College, 40 Willcocks St., Room TBD
Arts & Science Calendar Course Overview: [24L, 12T] Health is a responsibility shared
worldwide. This globalization of health has impacted biomedical research by refocusing attention
to international initiatives. We explore current global health research advances and develop the
necessary research skills to design and conduct relevant global health research studies.
Prerequisite: 3rd-year status; HMB203H1
DR=SCI; BR=TBA
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. Discuss current trends in global health research.
2. Understand, analyze and think critically about published global health research studies.
3. Identify scientific, ethical and political challenges/opportunities in global health research.
4. Design a global health research study and develop a grant proposal to fund it.
5. Understand how to foster impactful cross-cultural research collaborations.
Books
Required Reading: An Imperfect Offering. Humanitarian Action in the Twenty-First Century, by
James Orbinski. 2008. Random House of Canada Ltd.
Course Materials
Required and Recommended lecture readings will be posted on Blackboard weekly. Students will
be expected to have completed the readings in advance of each lecture, and come to class
prepared with relevant discussion points and questions. Lecture slides will not be posted in
advance of the class; they will be posted after each class.
International Course Module (ICM)
Select students will have the opportunity to travel to La Romana, Dominican Republic, to
participate in a Knowledge Translation (KT) project. All students in the class will participate in
developing and designing KT materials for the ICM, as outlined in the course schedule.

1
 HMB323H1S - Global Health Research
Course Syllabus 2016-17

Course Outline:
Date Main Lecture Topic Guest Lecturer & Topic Tutorial
Course overview: What is Canadian Principles for
Jan. 9 - Global Health Research
global health research?
Global Health Research
Current trends in global Opportunities ICM Project: KT in DR
Jan. 16
health research Center for International *Intro to KT*
Experience
Research design & analysis ICM Project: KT in DR
Jan. 23 -
Part I
Jan. 30 Grantsmanship - ICM Project: KT in DR
Global Health Ethics - ICM Project: KT in DR
Feb. 6
Assignment 1 (Letter of Intent) Due
Feb. 13 Midterm Location TBA
No class - Reading Week
Feb. 20
International Course Module (ICM) for Selected Students
Research design & analysis ICM team presentation &
Feb. 27 debrief
Part II
Approaches to Innovation
Technology innovation for for Global Health
Mar. 6 health care delivery & Innovations Tutorial
Challenges
practice Dominique McMahon, PhD
From idea to policy: The
Policy change and global MCH Booklet
Mar. 13
health
Shafi Bhuyan, MD
Student Presentations Locations/Groups TBA
Mar. 20
Assignment 2 (Full Grant Proposal) Due
Interdisciplinary Child Life & Global Health -
Mar. 27
collaborative research Morgan Livingstone, CCLS
Grand Challenges & SDGs -
Apr. 3 -
for Global Health
Evaluation:
25% midterm exam
30% grant proposal (verbal & written)
5% Letter of Intent
Term Mark (65%)
15% Full Grant Proposal
10% Presentation
10% participation
Final Exam (35%)

2
 HMB323H1S - Global Health Research
Course Syllabus 2016-17

MISSED ASSIGNMENT/ TEST POLICY

This course follows the Human Biology Programs and the University of Torontos Policies on
missed tests and assignments:
1. Students that fail to submit assignments or sit term tests for medical reasons must submit a
valid UofT Verification of Student Illness or Injury Form. Note that it must be signed by a
physician and the report must establish that the patient was examined and diagnosed at the time
of illness, not after the fact. For non-medical causes, please refer to the complete HMB Policy on
the website.
2. Within five business days of the missed test or assignment due date, the original copy of
completed the UofT Verification of Student Illness or Injury Form must be submitted to the
Human Biology Program Offices in Wetmore Hall.
3. The HMB Program office verifies all medical notes. If the note is valid, the instructor will be
informed. The student will not be contacted.
4. If the note was submitted for an assignment, the assignment is still due.
LATE SUBMISSIONS
Late submission of assignments without valid reason (see above) will be subject to a late penalty
of 10% per day.
TURNITIN.COM
Students will be required to submit all written course assignments to Turnitin.com for a review of
textual similarity and detection of possible plagiarism. In doing so, students will allow their
essays to be included as source documents in the Turnitin.com reference database, where they
will be used solely for the purpose of detecting plagiarism. The terms that apply to the
University's use of the Turnitin.com service are described on the Turnitin.com web site.
Turnitin ID: 11385325
Turnitin Password: 323-global
RECORDING LECTURES
Students are permitted to record lectures as a form of note-taking for personal use. Students are
asked to not upload the recordings to a shared drive or folder or hosted on a video service
platform such a YouTube or Facebook messenger. Students are reminded that lectures and course
materials are the intellectual property of the instructors, and the recordings should be respected
thus.
There are guest lecturers in this course, and if the topics they cover include medical
record/confidential/un-published information, recordings will not be permitted, and Chatham
House Rules will be in effect. Students will receive advance warning should recordings be
prohibited from any lecture in this course.