“ We need more indigenous health care professionals so that there’s the assurance that they’ll stay in their communities. And they’ll have the trust of their community members when they seek care.”
-Adriann Begay, MD, Navajo Nation Senior Officer
HEAL trains and transforms front line health professionals through building a community dedicated to serving the underserved as their lifelong choice.
The Center for Health Workforce, or HEAL Initiative, seeks to embody solidarity and contribute to the movement for global health equity led by communities themselves. We believe health is achievable for even the most vulnerable populations in our world when we apply principles of equity, justice, and solidarity. People coming together can transform systems. Through the process, we also continue to be transformed.
Global health requires investing in people, in community. HEAL trains and transforms frontline health professionals from around the world through building a community dedicated to serving the underserved as their lifelong choice. The HEAL Initiative believes deeply in the power of people to come together to tackle the isolation of providing care to those left behind. Together in community, they train and transform health professionals to serve the resource-denied.
Focus Areas
- Community health
- Health equity
- Health in resource-denied communities
- Indigenous health
- Racial Justice
- Workforce development
FEATURED FELLOWSHIPS
Make a meaningful impact on the health of resource-denied Californians with the mentorship of local leaders, global grassroots advocates, and academic scholars.
The California HEAL Program brings together physicians and local healthcare professionals serving resource-denied communities across the state to build connections, share knowledge, and co-lead health systems improvements. During this one-year program, fellows participate in immersive training in systems thinking and collaborative practice grounded in real-world local contexts. Ongoing mentorship and side-by-side project work foster trust and long-term partnerships that challenge top-down approaches to public health. Social Medicine HEAL Fellows (primary care physicians) and Community HEAL Fellows (healthcare professionals already working in their communities) work together to improve healthcare access and quality in their communities while maintaining their well-being.
Care for resource-denied communities across the globe with the guidance and support of the local healthcare community.
HEAL’s Global Program pairs U.S.-trained physicians with local healthcare professionals in resource-denied international and domestic settings to build connections, share knowledge, and co-lead health systems improvements. Fellows participate in immersive training in systems thinking and collaborative practice, grounded in real-world contexts of both U.S. and international sites. Ongoing mentorship and side-by-side project work foster trust and long-term partnerships that challenge top-down approaches to global health. Rotating Fellows (visiting physicians) and Site Fellows (healthcare workers already serving the community) come together as learning partners and collaborators.
The highest levels of the Malawian Ministry of Health experienced the power of HEAL’s work in Malawi over the last 10-plus years. HEAL co-created the Malawi Leadership Program to deepen our impact in the critical, undersupported public-sector clinical workforce.
Driven by HEAL Alumni in partnership with the Malawi Ministry of Health (MOH) and Partners in Health Malawi (APZU – Abwenzi Pa Za Umoyo) the Malawi Leadership Program provides public sector clinicians with immersive training in systems thinking and collaborative practice, grounded in the real-world context of Neno, Malawi. Ongoing mentorship and side-by-side project work foster trust and long-term partnerships that challenge top-down approaches to global health. The program invests in the people already strengthening Malawi’s health system, ensuring care improves from the inside.
Equipping Spanish-speaking health workers in rural Mexico with culturally grounded training, mentorship, and peer support to lead from within their communities.
Following eight-plus years of work in Chiapas, Mexico, HEAL alumni and partner site Compañeros En Salud (Partners in Health, Mexico) knew HEAL could and must extend our impact by offering our model in Spanish for public health workers in rural Chiapas. This led to the co-creation of the Mexico Leadership Program, which provides Spanish-speaking healthcare workers with immersive training in systems thinking and collaborative practice, grounded in the real-world context of Chiapas. Ongoing mentorship and side-by-side project work foster trust and long-term partnerships that challenge top-down approaches to global health. Fellows develop lasting relationships that support both personal growth and improved patient outcomes in rural Mexico.
A program made by Indigenous health professionals for nurses serving Indigenous communities. Strengthening local care and uplifting the knowledge and leadership within Navajo and Zuni Nations.
There are significant shortages of nurses and physicians in Navajo Nation, often 30-40% of positions remain unfilled. Additionally, the nurses who serve Indigenous communities often lack the mentorship, upskilling, and support to thrive. HEAL’s commitment to the Navajo Nation over the last 10-plus years presented a powerful opportunity to design a cohort for health workers serving Navajo Nation, organized and run by Indigenous health workers. This 18-month intensive program provides nurses with immersive training in systems thinking and collaborative practice, grounded in real-world contexts of the Southwest US, including Navajo and Zuni Nations. Ongoing mentorship and side-by-side project work foster trust and long-term partnerships that challenge top-down approaches to public health.
