Overview

The Albert Schweitzer Fellowship Houston-Galveston is a one-year interdisciplinary, mentored fellowship program focused on health-related community service and leadership development.

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In addition to the four overall goals of the U.S. Schweitzer Fellows Program®, the Houston-Galveston Schweitzer Fellows Program strengthens Fellows’ resolve to provide health service to underserved populations by facilitating opportunities for students to:

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• Use their skills and knowledge in real-life situations

• Become culturally sensitive and compassionate caregivers

• Understand the impact of social and environmental determinants of health

• Build capacity for and commitment to improving the health status of individuals and communities as well as contributing to social change

• Work collaboratively and across disciplines in pursuit of a common goal

• Learn how to exercise leadership skills to work with and influence community-based organizations, community leaders, and academic institutions to embrace holistic, service-oriented approaches to health

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Upon successful completion of the initial Fellowship year, Fellows have the opportunity to participate in an alumni network of Fellows for Life – an interdisciplinary pipeline of emerging professionals who are dedicated and skilled in meeting the health needs of underserved communities.

Defining Health

Schweitzer Fellows focus on health as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO): a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.  Rooted in this holistic understanding of health, Schweitzer projects address not only clinical health issues, but also the social determinants of health—defined by the WHO as the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age, and which are mostly responsible for health inequities.

Defining Health

Why apply?

Defining Health

KELSEY STEWART

The Schweitzer Fellowship models my goals as a future physician; to empower vulnerable people and create, healthier communities

DINA ZAMIL

Truly one of the best experiences I had in college.

MEENA DARDEN

Thank you for the opportunity of a lifetime. I actively cherish it every day.

ALEX BARRERA

ASFHG allowed me to become brave and gain confidence to become an advocate for the HIV/AIDS community.

RICHA LAVINGIA

I am grateful for the chance to develop a project benefitting populations with often unmet health needs, for the relationships I have made over the past year, and for the opportunity to learn.

WEIJIE LIN

Even as we work on our separate projects, we share our ideas, our struggles and our breakthroughs.