Shoulder to Shoulder
Shoulder to Shoulder (STS) began in 2002. STS is an affiliate program of Bega Kwa Bega of the Saint Paul Area Synod of the ELCA.
STS’s mission is to support life and health in rural Tanzania. It holds monthly board meetings in Minnesota and annual visits to Ilula to foster relationships. Shoulder to Shoulder emphasizes a reciprocal relationship: many Ilula Hospital leaders have visited Minnesota over the years to facilitate training and deepen the relationship.
Annual visits to Ilula evolved into a global health medical education elective in 2011. This is a 6-week interdisciplinary, fully mentored experience open to University of Minnesota medical students, pharmacy students, and family medicine and internal medicine residents. In addition to University of Minnesota, other institutions also take part.
In 2014, an annual two-day Ilula-Minnesota International Health Conference was added as part of the global health elective. Tanzanian and Minnesota educators convene to provide medical education and instruction on quality improvement basics to medical, nursing, pharmacy, and health administration. Leaders from the 28 faith-based hospitals in the southern zone of Tanzania take part in the Conference.