Welcome to the UCSF Center for Global Nursing (and Advanced Practice)

at the Institute for Global Health Sciences.



In this newsletter, you can expect to find opportunities, events, and other information about UCSF nurses, advanced practice providers, and our global partners working toward global health solutions.

🌍✨ Join the Center for Global Nursing in celebrating International Nurses Day in May! ✨🌍

Mark your calendars for May 7th, 2025, as we come together to celebrate the invaluable contributions that nurses make to healthcare across the globe. This special event will feature inspiring speakers, opportunities for networking, the presentation of awards recognizing excellence in nursing, and a raffle with exciting prizes. It’s a meaningful opportunity to gather in community, honor the impact of nurses worldwide, and celebrate the vital role they play in shaping health systems. We look forward to celebrating with you!

🗓️ Date: Wednesday, May 7th, 2025

⏰ Time: 4 PM - 6 PM PST

📍 Location: Mission Hall 1400

Nurses and advanced practice providers play a pivotal role in improving global population health. CGN's Global Nursing Impact Series offers a platform to highlight their leadership and impact in advancing health equity and to promote collaboration on these initiatives. Each session will feature a 20-minute presentation by invited speakers, followed by a Q&A.*

The lecture series is held virtually on the second Tuesday of each month and starts promptly at 7:00 am - 7:30 am PST/4:00 pm - 4:30 pm CEST.

Use the link below to register for CGN's upcoming Global Nursing Impact Series on Tuesday, May 13th, 2025

7:00 am - 7:30 am PST/4:00 pm - 4:30 pm CEST.

*The series is open to UCSF faculty, students, staff, global partners, and professionals interested in the field of global health.

This month, CGN is excited to feature CGN is honored to feature

Joe P. Davies, BSN, RN. Joe is a Non-Communicable Disease Nurse Coordinator for Partners In Health Liberia. He oversees the PEN-Plus clinic in Maryland County, a healthcare center focused on expanding access to care for severe non-communicable diseases. Joe plays a pivotal role in training healthcare workers, mentoring new staff, and managing clinical activities to ensure high-quality patient care. His work also includes leading patient education initiatives, particularly for Type 1 diabetes, and advising PIH on program implementation and performance metrics.

Mark your calendars for our upcoming CGN Community Meeting and Journal Club on May 13, 2025, from 12:10 to 1:00 PM PST. CGN Director Dr. Rebecca Silvers will share updates on exciting new projects and collaborations. Tune in to hear about our progress and plans for the future!

Following the center updates, CGN member David Alfon will lead the Journal Club discussion. Engage with peers as we explore the following article:

"Breaking dependency: strengthening the global tuberculosis response in the face of USAID cuts"

Register now for one of CGN's upcoming Cultural Humility Course dates! 🌍

This engaging course is designed for UCSF nurses and advanced practice providers seeking to develop skills in cultural humility, address personal biases, and foster more respectful, equitable partnerships. Participants will gain valuable tools to enhance cross-cultural collaboration and reduce power imbalances, making it an essential resource for advancing inclusive practices in global nursing.

📅 2025 Course Dates remaining: October 21, 2025 | 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM PST

You are invited to join the 2025 UCSF School of Dentistry Global Oral Health Symposium. This year’s theme is “Food, Food Systems, and Oral Health.”

Please direct any questions to:

Benjamin Chaffee, Director, Program in Global Oral Health (benjamin.chaffee@ucsf.edu)

Roger Mraz (roger.mraz@ucsf.edu)

This unique program brings together UCSF nurses and advanced practice providers with colleagues from Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Kenya for a bidirectional learning experience. This program fosters cross-cultural collaboration, leadership development, and sustainable quality improvement in nursing care.

Our UCSF Global Scholars recently returned home from Eldoret, Kenya where they engaged in quality improvement projects with their nurse pairings at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital 🇰🇪

After months of virtual engagement, Global Scholars from both institutions met in person for the first time. UCSF scholars shadowed MTRH scholars on the wards and worked together to conduct root-cause analyses targeting specific quality-of-care challenges. Our Scholars reflected on the value of the program in strengthening clinical partnerships and advancing the role of nurses and advanced practice providers in global health. All of our Scholars expressed their shared commitment to continuing this work moving forward!

Melissa Lincks, BSN, RN

Pediatric Nurse Practitioner | UCSF Health

Melissa Lincks is the lead Pediatric Nurse Practitioner in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) and Transitional Care Unit at UCSF Benioff Children's West Bay Hospital. She graduated from UCSF with a Master's in Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Minor in Global Health, and participated in the Global Health Scholarship program. Melissa has spent almost two decades in pediatric critical care, first as a registered nurse in the pediatric cardiac intensive care unit and then transitioned as an NP to the PICU. In the PICU, she supports the APPs through education development, providing monthly continuing education, annual skills, and ECLS training. 

Education has always been a passion for Melissa, which is evident through her work both stateside and abroad. In 2009, she spent time in Benin working as a registered nurse and as an educator. In 2015 to 2016, Melissa worked for Seed Global Health as a professor and clinical instructor specializing in pediatric critical care for both undergraduate and master's students in Mbarara, Uganda. Additionally, during her time in Uganda, she and her team set up the first Ugandan nursing conference with the aim of having Ugandans present on topics that they encounter every day in their various clinical settings. 

Melissa is continuing her work in Uganda with CGN, completing a nursing education and clinical needs assessment in the newly established PICU at Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala, Uganda. The aim of the project is to complete a gap analysis that will inform the continuing nursing education curriculum to optimize nursing training and capacity in pediatric critical care. 

Funding and Global Opportunities

CGN's Global Nursing Research Seed Award offers UCSF Center for Global Nursing members the opportunity to propel their research ideas through financial support. 

Awardees will be announced at our International Nurses Day Event on May 7, 2025.

Stay tuned for updates on our awardees' progress and keep an eye on our website for details on the 2026 award cycle!

CGN is committed to supporting our members as they engage in meaningful global health work. Apply now and take the next step in your global health journey!

Qualtrics Application Process:

1. Complete the application questionnaire
2. Provide an invitation letter to work abroad
3. Attach your CV or resumé 

Our next application review date is October 15th, 2025. Apply now!



Applications are evaluated based on the project's sustainability and efforts to collaborate with local partners.

Lao Friends Hospital for Children (LFHC) is the only hospital in northern Laos that provides specialty pediatric care, offering free services to underserved families in the region. It focuses on improving access to essential health services while supporting sustainable healthcare through training local providers. Volunteering offers a meaningful way to contribute to the hospital's mission and make a difference in children's lives.

Lao Friends Hospital for Children accepts applications for medical and nursing volunteers throughout the year. All individuals interested in volunteering should be able to spend two months at LFHC during their first visit. Anyone interested is welcome to send their resumes to hr@fwablaos.org.

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