By Jamie Hansen, Global Health Communications Manager

The Stanford Center for Innovation in Global Health (CIGH) is pleased to welcome the second cohort of the Stanford African Scholars in Global Health (SASH) program beginning April 14.

The SASH program seeks to promote health equity, capacity strengthening, and unique shared learning between African medical institutions and Stanford. 

In 2025, SASH is hosting 24 African medical scholars to gain new skills and share their expertise with the Stanford community. All 24 scholars have now been selected, following recent recruitment for the final two cohorts.

The scholars, mid-career physicians who work and teach at 19 academic institutions representing nine African countries, were selected from a highly competitive candidate pool of nearly 450 applicants from 161 institutions in 28 countries. Just over half of scholars are female, underscoring the program’s commitment to increasing diversity of leadership in global health.

Following their six-week visits to Stanford, scholars return to their institutions with additional funding and ongoing virtual Stanford mentorship to conduct a year-long quality improvement project focused on the skills they acquired at Stanford. 

The program is funded by an independent educational grant from Pfizer, run by CIGH and supported by the Stanford Center for Continuing Medical Education.

The first cohort of five scholars visited Stanford for six weeks in January and February of 2025. In addition to shadowing clinicians and experts at Stanford hospitals, clinics and labs to gain new skills and attending quality improvement training, they presented about their areas of expertise during numerous events. These included Africa Table lectures co-hosted with the Stanford Center for African Studies and a special event on climate and health in Africa. They also met with Stanford students, postdocs, and faculty to share their insights and form new collaborations. 

Now, this group of scholars has returned to their home institutions to begin their year-long quality improvement projects using knowledge and skills gained and honed at Stanford. 

“The Stanford community has already been enriched by our first five scholars, who shared their expertise and passion for global health during their visit in January,” said Michele Barry, MD, Director of CIGH. “We eagerly anticipate meeting and learning from our next cohorts.”

The Stanford community will have many opportunities to engage with the second SASH cohort, arriving April 14. Opportunities will be posted on the CIGH Events Page.

Cohort 3 will arrive at the end of June and Cohort 4 will arrive in late September. 

Learn more about SASH and sign up for program updates on our website.