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. 2017 Mar 28;5(1):152-163.
doi: 10.9745/GHSP-D-16-00190. Print 2017 Mar 24.

RAHI-SATHI Indo-U.S. Collaboration: The Evolution of a Trainee-Led Twinning Model in Global Health Into a Multidisciplinary Collaborative Program

Apurv Soni  1 , Nisha Fahey  2   3 , Abraham Jaffe  2 , Shyamsundar Raithatha  4 , Nitin Raithatha  4 , Anusha Prabhakaran  4 , Tiffany A Moore Simas  2 , Nancy Byatt  2 , Jagdish Vankar  4 , Michael Chin  2 , Ajay G Phatak  4 , Shirish Srivastava  4 , David D McManus  2 , Eileen O'Keefe  5 , Harshil Patel  4 , Niket Patel  4 , Dharti Patel  4 , Michaela Tracey  2 , Jasmine A Khubchandani  2 , Haley Newman  2 , Allison Earon  2 , Hannah Rosenfield  2 , Anna Handorf  2 , Brittany Novak  2 , John Bostrom  2 , Anindita Deb  2 , Soaham Desai  4 , Dipen Patel  4 , Archana Nimbalkar  4 , Kandarp Talati  4 , Milagros Rosal  2 , Patricia McQuilkin  2 , Himanshu Pandya  4 , Heena P Santry  2 , Sunil Thanvi  4 , Utpala Kharod  4 , Melissa Fischer  2 , Jeroan Allison  2 , Somashekhar M Nimbalkar  4
Affiliations

RAHI-SATHI Indo-U.S. Collaboration: The Evolution of a Trainee-Led Twinning Model in Global Health Into a Multidisciplinary Collaborative Program

Apurv Soni et al. Glob Health Sci Pract. .

Abstract

Background: In recent years there has been a surge in the number of global health programs operated by academic institutions. However, most of the existing programs describe partnerships that are primarily faculty-driven and supported by extramural funding.

Program description: Research and Advocacy for Health in India (RAHI, or "pathfinder" in Hindi) and Support and Action Towards Health-Equity in India (SATHI, or "partnership" in Hindi) are 2 interconnected, collaborative efforts between the University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS) and Charutar Arogya Mandal (CAM), a medical college and a tertiary care center in rural western India. The RAHI-SATHI program is the culmination of a series of student/trainee-led research and capacity strengthening initiatives that received institutional support in the form of faculty mentorship and seed funding. RAHI-SATHI's trainee-led twinning approach overcomes traditional barriers faced by global health programs. Trainees help mitigate geographical barriers by acting as a bridge between members from different institutions, garner cultural insight through their ability to immerse themselves in a community, and overcome expertise limitations through pre-planned structured mentorship from faculty of both institutions. Trainees play a central role in cultivating trust among the team members and, in the process, they acquire personal leadership skills that may benefit them in their future careers.

Conclusion: This paradigm of trainee-led twinning partnership promotes sustainability in an uncertain funding climate and provides a roadmap for conducting foundational work that is essential for the development of a broad, university-wide global health program.

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Figures

FIGURE
FIGURE
Timeline of RAHI–SATHI Evolution From Initial Study to a Multidisciplinary Collaboration Abbreviations: AF, atrial fibrillation; BU, Boston University; CAM, Charutar Arogya Mandal; CRS, Central Research Services; OGH, Office of Global Health; RAHI, Research and Advocacy for Health in India; SATHI, Support and Action Towards Health-Equity in India; UMMS, University of Massachusetts Medical School. *Study preceded RAHI–SATHI and was conducted by a joint collaboration between BU and CAM.
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