Global Health Medicine For Humanitarian Frontlines

MSB126423(High) 1(1)
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Overview

About GHHM course

The Global Health & Humanitarian Medicine (GHHM) course is designed to give you the medical knowledge required to work in resource-limited settings and humanitarian crisis contexts.

Organised by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), it is a part-time, online course.

The GHHM syllabus is taught by a diverse and international faculty of clinicians, experts, and academics and will cover:

Clinical infectious diseases
Global public health
Women’s and child health
Non-communicable diseases and mental health
Humanitarian medicine

The course will prepare you to take the Diploma in Global Health, offered by the Royal College of Physicians in collaboration with MSF. On completion of GHHM, you will also be eligible to sit the Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

MSB126423(High) 2(1)
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Applicant profile

Who is it for?

You can apply to the GHHM course if you are a medical doctor who: 

holds a primary medical qualification (MBBS, MB ChB or its equivalent) from a recognised medical school in any country and has a minimum of two years of post-internship work experience 

While we welcome applications from qualified medical doctors from all countries, we prioritise applications from those who intend to work, or are already working in, resource-limited settings. Applications are especially welcome from women doctors residing in low-income or lower-middle-income countries. 

The course is a nine-month, part-time commitment allowing you to fit your studies around your work. 

We ask that you attend our weekly online seminars and complete additional work online in your own time. 

Download the GHHM Course Prospectus for more information about the syllabus and completion criteria. 

Key Dates and Events 

Call for applications 

Applications for MSF staff seeking an MSF-funded place open 12 January – 9 February. 

Applications for self-funding places open 12 February – 13 March. 

What are the selection criteria for the course?
Places are not allocated on a first-come-first-served basis.   A scoring system is used to grade each application. Higher scores will be given to applicants with experience of working in resource-constrained or complex humanitarian settings. A panel of academicians, clinicians, and humanitarian aid professionals then review each application and make the final decision on which candidates are to be offered a place on the GHHM course.
The course is designed only for medical doctors.
The course is open to all medical doctors, irrespective of their workplace. 
The GHHM course is highly demanding and there is a strict attendance requirement. If you’re undertaking any other academic courses or have other pressing professional commitments, we encourage you to defer your application for GHHM. 
The course is organised through the MSF UK office in London and MSF South Asia office in Colombo. GHHM is a fully online course.
No, GHHM’s basic microscopy and parasitology training is delivered fully online.
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Applicant process

The GHHM application journey

Your pathway into humanitarian healthcare begins with a clear, structured application process designed to identify motivated medical professionals with the right skills and commitment.

Key Dates

Application opens

January 2026

Applications for MSF staff seeking an MSF-funded place open 12 January – 9 February. Applications for self funding places open 12 February – 13 March.

Applications deadline

January 2026

The deadline to submit your GHHM application is 21 April 2025. Late or incomplete submissions cannot be considered.

Program commences

January 2026

The GHHM 2026-2027 will run from the beginning of September 2026 to the end of May 2027, blending weekly live webinars, group learning, self-directed study, and additional training modules.

MSB126423(High) 3
To apply for the GHHM course, you must:
Be a qualified medical doctor (MBBS or equivalent) from a recognised medical school.
Have a minimum of two years of post-internship clinical experience.
Hold full registration with your medical council and demonstrate good English comprehension.
Be willing to commit 6–8 hours per week to study and attend live seminars scheduled to suit your time zone (e.g., 16:00–18:00 IST for South Asia sessions).
Applications are reviewed by a panel including MSF staff and academic partners.
Priority is given to doctors currently working or intending to work in low-resource or complex humanitarian settings.
Applications for the 2026–27 course are open now.
Complete the online form and submit your details by DATE.
You will be notified of the outcome during or shortly after the first week of DATE.

Before you begin your application:

Read all course information, including FAQs and the full prospectus.
Ensure you meet the eligibility requirements and can commit to the course workload.
Consider whether you may need financial support. A limited number of bursaries are available for eligible doctors from low- or lower-middle-income countries.
Prepare to explain your motivation and relevant clinical experience in your personal statement.
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Academic partners

Academic collaborators

In collaboration with India’s leading academic institutions, we provide a curriculum that blends rigorous training with hands-on humanitarian practice.

Veritas Curat
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Academic team

Meet the GHHM faculty team

The programme is led by professionals with extensive experience across low-resource, academic, and humanitarian healthcare settings.

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Dr Chiara Morrison
Dr Chiara Morrison
GHHM Programme Manager
Chiara is a medical doctor with a speciality in infectious diseases and public health. She graduated in 2010 from St George’s Hospital Medical School London…
Dr Chiara Morrison
Dr Chiara Morrison
GHHM Programme Manager
Chiara is a medical doctor with a speciality in infectious diseases and public health. She graduated in 2010 from St George’s Hospital Medical School London…
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Dr. Ian Cropley
Dr. Ian Cropley
GHHM Content Advisor / Consultant in Infectious Diseases and HIV / Honorary Associate Professor, University College London
Ian Cropley is a consultant in Infectious Diseases and HIV at the Royal Free London. He studied medicine at Cambridge and London Universities. He became…
Dr. Ian Cropley
Dr. Ian Cropley
GHHM Content Advisor / Consultant in Infectious Diseases and HIV / Honorary Associate Professor, University College London
Ian Cropley is a consultant in Infectious Diseases and HIV at the Royal Free London. He studied medicine at Cambridge and London Universities. He became…
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Dr. Parvati Nair
Dr. Parvati Nair
GHHM Course Coordinator for South Asia
Parvati is a medical doctor with ten years of experience in the field of tropical medicine. She has been working for MSF since 2014 initially…
Dr. Parvati Nair
Dr. Parvati Nair
GHHM Course Coordinator for South Asia
Parvati is a medical doctor with ten years of experience in the field of tropical medicine. She has been working for MSF since 2014 initially…
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Bonnie Darroch
Bonnie Darroch
Content Developer and Student Liaison for UK
Dr Bonnie Darroch is a medical doctor who graduated from St George's Hospital Medical School London in 2010. Her clinical practice has been varied, having…
Bonnie Darroch
Bonnie Darroch
Content Developer and Student Liaison for UK
Dr Bonnie Darroch is a medical doctor who graduated from St George's Hospital Medical School London in 2010. Her clinical practice has been varied, having…
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James Stickley
James Stickley
GHHM Project Manager
MSF is the world’s leading humanitarian medical organisation and recipient of the 1999 Nobel Peace Prize. Where better to learn about global health and humanitarian…
James Stickley
James Stickley
GHHM Project Manager
MSF is the world’s leading humanitarian medical organisation and recipient of the 1999 Nobel Peace Prize. Where better to learn about global health and humanitarian…
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Academic partners

Programme FAQs

Key information for applicants considering the Global Health & Humanitarian Medicine course.

Apart from the course fee, are there other costs associated with GHHM?
There is no application fee for GHHM. In previous years GHHM offered access to in-person lab training where students would be expected to pay for their own travel and accommodation. This is no longer offered – only online, virtual parasitology training is offered. The GHHM course fee does not include the cost of a post-course exam such as the Diploma in Global Health or the Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.
No, there is no payback period associated with GHHM and you do not need to work with MSF once you have completed the course. However, if you are an MSF-funded student, please discuss this with your operational centre (OC).
There are options to make one full payment or pay your course fees in instalments. If you decide to pay your course fees in instalments payments, you will be given payment deadlines for each instalment. GHHM has a structured instalment plan, details of which can be obtained on request.  
GHHM is a 9-month course that starts in September and ends in May.
Yes, on successful completion of the course GHHM will provide an electronic certificate of completion.
Like all part-time courses, enrolment to the GHHM course requires consistent effort and time, along with your other professional and personal commitments. You should proactively schedule six to eight hours per week across the length of the course to complete GHHM course requirements. This will include:   Preparation for and participating in weekly lectures.  Contributing to online moderated classes as part of a group of students.  Completing weekly activities (group learning) and quizzes. Self-directed learning.  For each online activity, there will be a deadline for completion; you will have to discuss with your group and complete that activity before the deadline. Your contribution to the group activity is marked as attendance. 
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Testimonials

Voices from GHHM alumni

Hear how the Global Health & Humanitarian Medicine course has shaped clinical practice, confidence, and careers in humanitarian healthcare.

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Chandrika Rao
Chandrika Rao
International Field Staff , MSF (GHHM Class of 2017-2018)
In the era of specialised medicine a course like GHHM will make me gain knowledge about conditions that I don't deal with in everyday practice…
Chandrika Rao
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Chandrika Rao
International Field Staff , MSF (GHHM Class of 2017-2018)
In the era of specialised medicine a course like GHHM will make me gain knowledge about conditions that I don't deal with in everyday practice…
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Zahed ul Islam
Zahed ul Islam
Medical Activity Manager, Kutupalong-project, MSF (GHHM Class of 2018-2019)
I was one of the Youngest student of our cohort. In the beginning It seems a bit difficult for me to understand the way of…
Zahed ul Islam
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Zahed ul Islam
Medical Activity Manager, Kutupalong-project, MSF (GHHM Class of 2018-2019)
I was one of the Youngest student of our cohort. In the beginning It seems a bit difficult for me to understand the way of…
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Mohit Bhatia
Mohit Bhatia
Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology, AIIMS, Rishikesh (GHHM Class of 2018-2019)
The Global Health & Humanitarian Medicine (GHHM) course was something I accidentally stumbled upon while browsing the internet one fine day in April, 2018. Being…
Mohit Bhatia
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Mohit Bhatia
Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology, AIIMS, Rishikesh (GHHM Class of 2018-2019)
The Global Health & Humanitarian Medicine (GHHM) course was something I accidentally stumbled upon while browsing the internet one fine day in April, 2018. Being…
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Bhavya Balasubramanya
Bhavya Balasubramanya
Senior Research Officer at Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin Northern Territory / Epidemiologist with MSF (GHHM Class of 2017-2018)
" Bad things do happen in the world, like war, natural disasters, disease. But out of those situations always arise stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things"…
Bhavya Balasubramanya
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Bhavya Balasubramanya
Senior Research Officer at Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin Northern Territory / Epidemiologist with MSF (GHHM Class of 2017-2018)
" Bad things do happen in the world, like war, natural disasters, disease. But out of those situations always arise stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things"…
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Amruta Tripathy
Amruta Tripathy
Senior Resident, AIIMS Bubaneshwar (GHHM Class of 2017-2018)
GHHM happened at a time when professionally I had reached a saturation and at a personal level I wanted to make a meaningful contribution to…
Amruta Tripathy
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Amruta Tripathy
Senior Resident, AIIMS Bubaneshwar (GHHM Class of 2017-2018)
GHHM happened at a time when professionally I had reached a saturation and at a personal level I wanted to make a meaningful contribution to…
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Shawar Kazmi
Shawar Kazmi
MSF international field staff (GHHM Class of 2017-2018)
Shawar Kazmi, MSF international field staff. Last mission done as a Clinical Trial Coordinator in MSF at Minsk in Belarus for MDR/XDR TB. First of…
Shawar Kazmi
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Shawar Kazmi
MSF international field staff (GHHM Class of 2017-2018)
Shawar Kazmi, MSF international field staff. Last mission done as a Clinical Trial Coordinator in MSF at Minsk in Belarus for MDR/XDR TB. First of…
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Nishit Kumar
Nishit Kumar
Project Medical Referent, MSF in Iraq (GHHM Class of 2017-2018)
I feel GHHM provided me with a better understanding of many tropical diseases, especially the management part, and made me aware of the current guidelines,…
Nishit Kumar
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Nishit Kumar
Project Medical Referent, MSF in Iraq (GHHM Class of 2017-2018)
I feel GHHM provided me with a better understanding of many tropical diseases, especially the management part, and made me aware of the current guidelines,…
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Nancy Angeline
Nancy Angeline
Lecturer in the Department of Community Health at St. John's Medical College (GHHM Class of 2017-2018)
1. GHHM enabled me to become a better public health practitioner. 2. It has widened my knowledge and skills in infectious diseases and global health.…
Nancy Angeline
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Nancy Angeline
Lecturer in the Department of Community Health at St. John's Medical College (GHHM Class of 2017-2018)
1. GHHM enabled me to become a better public health practitioner. 2. It has widened my knowledge and skills in infectious diseases and global health.…
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Ankur Rakesh
Ankur Rakesh
Former site lead Global Health and Humanitarian Medicine, MSF (GHHM Class of 2017-2018)
“Developing countries are faced with a high burden of tropical diseases. While doctors in these countries have hands-on experience of managing these diseases, they are…
Ankur Rakesh
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Ankur Rakesh
Former site lead Global Health and Humanitarian Medicine, MSF (GHHM Class of 2017-2018)
“Developing countries are faced with a high burden of tropical diseases. While doctors in these countries have hands-on experience of managing these diseases, they are…
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Adarsh Varghese
Adarsh Varghese
Surveillance Medical Officer for W.H.O (GHHM Class of 2017-2018)
  I joined the GHHM course without keeping any assumptions of what it would contain and what it could teach me. However, before i start…
Adarsh Varghese
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Adarsh Varghese
Surveillance Medical Officer for W.H.O (GHHM Class of 2017-2018)
  I joined the GHHM course without keeping any assumptions of what it would contain and what it could teach me. However, before i start…

Explore GHHM South Asia

Learn more about the Global Health & Humanitarian Medicine programme, including its structure, curriculum, and eligibility.