About the course
What is the eligibility for applying to this course?
A graduate degree in Allopathic Medicine (MBBS or equivalent) and minimum two years of work experience post-internship.
Do I need any specialization to be eligible for this course?
No, the course is open for all medical doctors with interest and passion for tropical medicine, public health and humanitarian work.
What is the selection criteria for the course?
A panel of academicians, clinicians and humanitarian aid professionals review each application. The panel takes the final call in the selection of the candidates.
Can paramedics working in tropical contexts apply for this course?
The course is designed only for the medical doctors.
Is this course only for MSF staff?
No, the course is open for all medical doctors
I have just joined a postgraduate programme, am I still eligible to apply?
Yes, you are, however, we encourage potential applicants to defer their enrollment if in case they have taken any other fulltime courses or have other pressing professional commitments. This is a highly demanding course and the enrolled students will need to meet the strict attendance requirement.
Funding
Are there any scholarships for the students?
Since the course is already subsidized by MSF, there are no individual scholarships. However, we encourage students to seek out external scholarships. The students are welcome to reach out to us after their acceptance and we will be happy to provide a letter of acceptance for applying to scholarship programmes.
No, there is no payback period associated with this course of any kind.
Course structure
What is the duration of this course?
It is a ten-month course. It runs form mid- June to DTM&H exam in April.
This is an online course, which requires a student to attend a webinar / lecture on real-time basis. The classes run from 1600-1800 IST, every Thursday. The lectures can be accessed remotely using the adobe connect software on a computer or a mobile phone.
What is the course curriculum?
The course broadly covers the syllabus for the DTM&H examination with additional focus on working in humanitarian contexts. This course comprises an array of topics; ranging from Tropical diseases, and Parasitology, Public Health, Maternal and Child Health, Humanitarian Crisis / Complex Emergencies, to non-communicable diseases.
Additionally, there is 16 hours of face-to-face Basic Microscopy and Parasitology Training at one of the collaborating institutes in South Asia.
Where are the classes happening?
The classes are hosted from MSF South Asia /UK offices or collaborating institutes in South Asia.
Do I have to attend any face-to-face contact sessions? Can I attend them online?
The only face-to-face element of the course is the 16 hours of Basic Microscopy and Parasitology training at the collaborating laboratories. The laboratory trainings are organized at a few RCP accredited laboratories in South Asia and outside. A student based on his availability has to select a laboratory of his/her preference.
How many hours in a week will the course require?
The weekly lectures run from 1600 to 1800 hours every Thursday. You are required to spare two hours every week for the lectures. In addition, there are weekly quizzes and fortnightly group activities that you have to complete before the given deadlines. This amounts to additional 2 hours per week. We recommend that students are willing to commit 6-8 hours of self-directed learning per week.
What is the attendance criteria?
The minimum requirement for the course completion is:
- 70% attendance in the weekly webinars.
- Contribution to 70% of the online group activities
- Participation in the 16 hours of parasitology laboratory training
How do I manage my course workload?
Like all part time courses, enrollment to GHHM course will require consistent effort and time, along with your other professional and personal commitments. You are expected to dedicate two hours every week for the weekly lectures, other than that you are also required to commit another couple of hours per week for mandatory group activities and quizzes,
For each group activity, there will be a deadline of completion; you will have to complete that activity before the expiry of that deadline. Your contribution to the group activity is marked as attendance.
Failure in meeting any of the above mentioned attendance criteria, which also includes contributing to 70% of online group activities, would result in ineligibility to sit the DTM&H
What happens if I cannot attend the ‘basic microscopy and parasitology’ training?
You will not be eligible to write the DTM&H examination and your GHHM course remains incomplete.
Examination and Course Completion
Who conducts the DTM&H examination?
The Royal College of Physicians, UK conducts the exam.
What is the structure of the exam? Is it essay based or multiple-choice option questions?
The examination is structured as follows:
- Morning – 100 ‘best of five’ questions, 16 of which are based on clinical images designed to test the candidate’s knowledge of tropical medicine and hygiene over a wide area (3 hours).
- Afternoon – Preventive medicine and Parasitology/entomology ‘short answer’ papers (2.5 hours).
Is it mandatory to write the DTM&H?
No, it is not.
India and UK, host the exam. A student can write the exam at any of the two sites.
How many attempts do I have to take the DTM&H examination?
A student can attempt the exam up to 6 times.
Do we get a certificate on completion of the course?
Yes, on successful completion of the course, MSF will provide a certificate of completion.
Do we need to meet certain criteria before we get the certificate of course completion?
Yes, a student has to complete the minimum course requirements.
Yes, as long as you have completed the GHHM course successfully.
Yes, 250 GBP as the DTM&H examination fees to Royal College of Physicians. There is a slight change of about +/-10 GBP in the fees for the examinations every year.