Bridging Classroom Learning with Global Health Innovation
At Duke University's Global Health Institute, Dr. Dennis Clements has pioneered an approach that transforms theoretical knowledge into practical solutions. Through two innovative service-learning courses—a required capstone for Global Health majors (GLHLTH 499) and an Innovation & Entrepreneurship course (I&E 590) open to students across all levels—Clements connects students directly with healthcare organizations worldwide that need specific projects completed but lack resources to execute them.
"Solving global health challenges requires more than good intentions," Clements emphasizes. "It requires practical skills, cultural understanding, and the ability to translate great ideas into implementable solutions."
Diverse Teams, Comprehensive Solutions
The program thrives on interdisciplinary collaboration. "I love having computer science and engineers in the class because they think differently," Clements explains. "They provide solutions that nobody on the side that I'm typically on would have even thought about."
This diversity becomes crucial when tackling real-world challenges. In one project creating an immunization registry in Honduras, the technical barriers quickly became apparent: "I needed my computer science students to do the programming, but none of them could speak Spanish." What could have derailed the project instead became a powerful learning experience.
"We couldn't implement it without my global health students talking to them and actually getting feedback about what they didn't understand about the program," Clements recalls. The result demonstrated how different perspectives create solutions neither group could achieve alone.
Professional Development Through Practice
Each project guides students through a complete professional cycle—from creating team charters to delivering executive summaries and presentations. Every deliverable receives real client feedback, with presentations recorded for critique sessions.
"They're learning to write well and succinctly," Clements notes. "They learn to say in a few words what a 20-page document says, and then they have to learn to stand on a stage and talk, how to use their hands, how to express with their eyes and their face."
For Clements, these skills directly translate to future success: "I look at this as pre-work for what they're going to do when they leave Duke."
Real-World Impact
The program's success extends beyond student learning to actual implementation. Care2Communities, a partner organization working in Haiti, found unexpected depth in the collaboration: "Partnering with students provided them with real-world knowledge while allowing us to delve deeper into the unique aspects of working in healthcare within Haiti's challenging landscape."
Another partner, Dimagi, integrated student analysis directly into their clinical trials: "Their data analysis was used to inform aspects of the ongoing clinical trial and was showcased with trial partners and sponsors."
"When the innovators see it with a timeline, a logic model," Clements explains, "they can see what they've been thinking about the whole time and now see how it fits in."
Building Global Connections
Projects often stretch across continents and time zones. "India is about 12 hours different," Clements shares. "So somebody's meeting at 8 PM." These logistics become part of the learning experience, teaching students how global health work operates in practice.
The semester culminates with a celebration dinner where project winners are announced, but the connections formed often extend far beyond the classroom. Throughout the term, teams support each other, offering feedback and connections: "That doesn't make sense" or "Hey, I know somebody in that area who can help you."
Creating Lasting Change
Some projects prove too complex for a single semester. Students structure their work so the next cohort can continue—creating a relay race of innovation spanning years and continents.
"The semester isn't long enough to finish some projects," Clements acknowledges, "but that's how real global health work operates. It's about building on each other's progress, about understanding that meaningful change takes time and collaboration."
Through this hands-on approach, Duke students aren't just learning about global health—they're actively contributing to solutions while developing the skills needed to create lasting change in a complex world.
The Global Health Capstone and Innovation & Entrepreneurship program operates through Duke University's Global Health Institute, connecting students with healthcare innovators worldwide to develop practical solutions for global health challenges. Through hands-on projects and cross-cultural collaboration, the program is helping prepare the next generation of global health leaders who understand that effective solutions require both humanitarian vision and practical implementation skills.
