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Since November 2020, we, VAW Global Health Alliances, have designed online courses to be much like a course in continuing education, valuable to anyone interested in public health and development work. This is the beginning of a new chapter for VAW Global and also a new opportunity for interns from around the world to to gain experience while joining hands in creating equitable access to quality healthcare around the world from the comfort of their own home or office.

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One of our most proactive intern, Megan Wu – Yale University, shared: “I think this program can be very insightful for pre-health students or those who are interested in global and public health. Personally, I’ve got to learn a lot about doctor-patient interactions which is important to me because it can be hard to find a safe in-person shadowing experience during the pandemic.”

To set up an online shadowing course, VAW Global has to collaborate with our partners from Low-Middle Income Countries (LMICs), to share their expertise on a global scale, present medical cases, have their voices heard, and be a part of a global movement. “I really like that VAW included a Q&A LIVE session with the doctor. This gives you an opportunity to interact and ask question which is an in-person experience for the lab.” – said Megan.

During the length of the program, students will receive the access to learning materials on a weekly basic and a video recording after each LIVE session, which makes the learning process more flexible and . Or, as Megan mentioned “Lastly, I really like the program which is so well-organized and because each video is recorded with lots of flexibility so people from different time zone, have class, work or other activities can still complete the courses in their very doable way.”

Please feel free to find more information about our online courses HERE.

1. Where did you learn to suture?

“During surgery rotations when I was in college. I remember that on several occasions my colleagues and I used to go to the emergency room of a local hospital during our free time on weekends and volunteer to practice and learn more.”

2. What do you think are the most important sutures pre health students should learn?

“As a pre health student, it is very important to have a good theoretical and practical knowledge of the basics aspects of suturing and of the most basic techniques such as the simple interrupted suture because of its frequent use.”

3.  Do you have any advice for future students joining the course?

“There are many advantages offered by attending the online suture course, such as the comfort of being at home, saving time, and having personalized classes in small groups; Students who have already joined us mentioned the fast learning feeling and the confidence to keep practicing while getting their questions immediately answered.”

Join our four-day online suture training today! Get 6 contact hours (0.6 CEUs) during our LIVE suture sessions with one of our best VAW Global Physicians in the Dominican Republic. Learn, practice and develop your basics suture skills from the comfort of your home … and you will receive a free suture kit!  >> More information

We have telecommuted to our meetings for more than a decade, because we all live spread across the world. Below are some ideas we live by to help us be successful in this atypical work environment. We hope it will help you adjust and be successful at telecommuting.

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VAW Global employees have always worked from remote locations. Sometimes in a VAW Global office, sometimes at home, many times from an airport or hostel, but almost always without the “typical work environment” where you can interact with your co-workers face to face.

Routines & Exercises

Having a routine before work ensures a healthy mindset for you, a development of a high morale and a sense of higher productivity. These morning routines can be from waking up early and showering, getting dressed, doing exercise, having breakfast, etc. Even if you’re telecommuting and might not be in the same place as your colleagues physically, it’s advisable to still “get ready for the office” as you would at any other job, for your mental health and productivity at work.

It might be challenging to get 10,000 steps while working at your desk all day, but it is highly recommended you plan daily exercise or walks so you get your boost of the day. During work, ensure that you are drinking enough water, stretch your legs from time to time or vary positions while seated. Most importantly, make sure you are able to sit properly with the help of an ergonomic chair and proper office desk. It’s also advisable to take some time to rest your eyes to avoid eye strain.

Healthy meals and/or snacks

You are as productive as what you eat. Schedule your meals at a fixed time; this will not only help avoid having health issues, it will also adjust your body’s clock to know when you will be having lunch. Therefore, you will be more focused on your tasks at their time.

Make sure to have a healthy breakfast every morning to start your day. Plan your lunch ahead of time and have some snacks available at your desk during the day (we recommend fruits or seeds to keep your energy and health up). Try to avoid fat or sugary foods and drinks, as they will add unnecessary carbs to your body. Drink lots of water during the day and make sure you stay hydrated.

Socializing

Having a telecommute job can be a bit lonely; you are in front of your computer for most of the day, unlike an office job in which one tends to interact with bosses or coworkers directly which keeps up your socializing skills. That is why it is very important to set some goals to help you out with socializing, here are some tips:

• Go out, even if it’s a stroll or walking your dog at noon. It’s always good to stretch your legs away from the computer.
• Work in a coworking space or a coffee shop. This forces you to interact with people while you work.
• Plan things for outside working hours. Even if it’s going to a pottery class, going to the gym or grabbing a drink with friends.

Space

The work space must be very illuminated and it needs to have a good ventilation system.

• Having an spacious desk and good working chair makes you feel more content with your space as well as being good for your health (no back issues)
• According to studies, having a tidy space will help you be more focused on your work
• Colors are important, because they give out a sense of mood depending on the colors by which you are surrounded (ex: yellow stimulates creativity; blue helps you focus; purple stimulates problem solving)
• Music helps you focus and keep being productive. You can listen to any can of music that helps you feel like that but we recommend music without lyrics like classical music, groove or electronic music.

Work & Life: Create Boundaries

Organizing not only working schedules but daily habits, such as walking the dog during your lunch break or preparing your meals ahead of time, can help improve your mental health.

Working from a computer or especially a cell phone can give you access to different platforms all the time; that being said, answering your work text or emails while on your day off is not advisable.

Time your day so you can have a start and end time. Create a space for work that you can leave at the end of the day. Leave your laptop in your dedicated workspace. Turn the notifications “off” on your phone (if possible). Finally, a good practice is to leave the house and take a small walk when you finish working.

Sleeping hours

During this modern time, it is very common to sleep around 5 hours or less. Even if it is common, that does not mean it is a healthy habit, especially for a telecommute worker. When you telecommute, you need to create your own motivation to achieve your goals of the day. If you have not slept enough, a cup of coffee might bring you back to life, but it will not have you at your 100% and this impacts your productivity. You will get more results if you get at least 7-8 hours of sleep on the same schedule every night.

If you feel like remote working is for you, why not try to be a Recruiter for VAW Global and work at anytime and anywhere you like?

We are looking for Team Leader Recruiters to be in charge of recruiting new Outreach chapters at universities around the world. You will recruit new Team Leaders at universities. This is a part-time telecommute position that will be tracked with weekly goals that lasts. It is twice yearly position (you can participate in just one recruitment season or multiple). >> More information