Global Health Reimagined: Pathways to Decolonization was a transformative global health retreat held May 24-26, 2024 in Maryland.

This immersive experience, facilitated by Dr. Shailvi Gupta (SOM), Dr. Elias Snyder (SON), and Dr. Carlos Faerron Guzmán (GS) offered UMB students the opportunity to engage with UMB Global Health leaders through discussions, workshops, and collaborative projects, critically examining frameworks and exploring innovative approaches challenging dominant models.

The goal was to cultivate an inclusive environment for exchanging ideas, challenging assumptions, and co-creating solutions prioritizing local contexts, cultural nuances, and community-driven initiatives, empowering participants as agents of change.

The retreat offered opportunities for intellectual discourse, personal reflection, and lasting connections, including:

• Promote equitable, community-based interventions

• Cultivate a decolonized understanding of Global Health

• Explore the structures and systemic factors impacting equity in Global Health

• Challenge yourself to look beyond dominant frameworks in Global Health

• Engage with UMB Global Health leaders and fellow students

This retreat was a pilot project, supported by an IPEC grant.

Facilitators

Dr. Carlos A. Faerron Guzmán

Carlos A. Faerron Guzmán, MD, MSc, is an Associate Professor of Global Health at the UMB Graduate School.

Dr. Shailvi Gupta

Shailvi Gupta, MD MPH FACS, is an Associate Professor of Surgery at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Shock Trauma Center's Program in Trauma. Her secondary appointment is with the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health.

Dr. Elias Snyder

Elias Snyder, PhD, NP-C, ACHPN (he/they) is an Assistant Professor of Global Health at the University of Maryland School of Nursing.