Learning best together: social constructivism and global partnerships in medical education

There is a growing need to develop comprehensive training for young doctors who want to understand international medical issues and how to address local health disparities. The development of global partnerships is one of the ways in which medical schools respond to these demands. Some schools have made arrangements with a health care provider, hospital or university in an international setting which accepts trainees for a short-term clinical experience. This may involve interaction with medical learners at the international site. A global partnership for medical education could be defined as a collaboration between two (or more) institutions (universities, hospitals, health care organisations) from two (or more) countries for the purpose of medical training.