The Harvard Medical School Master of Medical Sciences in Global Health Delivery (MMSc‑GHD) program provides rigorous training in bio‑social research, program design, and management, preparing students to become leaders in global health delivery. The program’s cross‑university curriculum equips students with tools for conducting social and delivery science and policy research in resource‑limited settings. A mentored, field‑based research project culminating in a master’s thesis is central to the degree.
Featured Students
Sam Muhanguzi, MMSc ’25
Mr. Sam Muhanguzi, a dedicated health care management professional from Rwanda, has been actively engaged in curriculum development and management for medical education at UGHE since 2021. His interests include mental health literacy, equitable health care, social justice, and enhancing health care services. He aims to leverage his expertise to design and implement programs that specifically address the burden of disease in rural and resource-constrained communities. He strongly believes in the power of customized interventions to uplift these underserved populations.
Research Topic: Assessing the economic impact of integrating mental health into primary care in Rwinkwavu, Rwanda: a mixed-methods study
Kelly Lai, MMSc ’25
Kelly is a Taiwanese nonprofit director and human rights advocate who has been proactive in the spaces of public health and international development over the past decade. She received previous academic training in development geography at King’s College London. Her professional work has focused on marginalized populations such as homeless people, refugees, cancer patients, and people with justice system involvement. Kelly Lai’s recent projects include 1) initiating nationwide policy change to enhance the accessibility of new cancer treatments for patients with financial challenges and 2) founding Taiwan’s sports diplomacy program that bridges body literacy with poverty alleviation in 10 countries across five continents.
Research Topic: The physical, psychosocial, and financial consequences for mineworkers with symptoms of post-TB lung disease in Lesotho- a qualitative study
Pradish Poudel, MD, MMSc ’25
Dr. Pradish Poudel is a social entrepreneur with a history of working in global health, internal medicine, smart cities and sustainable communities, and climate change. He is the founder and president of Nepal Health Corps. In this role, he has organized clinical outreach for underprivileged populations, mobilizing health care institutions and thousands of medical professionals and students for the health equity movement and health promotion programs. He received the Charles Boelen International Social Accountability Award for his contributions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Research Topic: Understanding the factors and policies that determine recruitment and retention of doctors in rural Nepal to achieve UHC 2030: a mixed-methods study in Jumla District, Nepal
Thesis Spotlight
Kelly Lai, MMSc’25
Kelly Lai spent several months in Lesotho conducting deeply immersive fieldwork on post-tuberculosis care. Hosted by Partners In Health Lesotho, her project explores how patients with post-TB lung disease navigate care across clinical and community settings and what can be done to support them more effectively.
Sam Muhanguzi, MMSc’25
During his fieldwork, Sam Muhanguzi conducted an in-depth study of mental health care delivery in rural Rwanda. Based in the Rwinkwavu catchment area with support from Partners In Health, Sam focused on how primary care systems, structural inequalities, and community health workers intersected to shape patient outcomes.
Pradish Poudel, MD, MMSc’25
During his field research in the remote Karnali Province of Nepal, Pradish Poudel explored the pressing issue of rural doctor retention. Based in the mountainous district of Jumla, Pradish conducted interviews and focus groups across seven rural municipalities to understand the challenges and opportunities local leaders face in sustaining a reliable medical workforce.