Professor and Vice-Chairmen of Educational Programs, Psychiatry University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, New Jersey
Research: Psychology, Mental Health and Primary Care
Host: National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Ministry of Health, Government of India, India
November 2000 to May 2001

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The objective of this program is to establish a continued exchange of students and faculty between his home institution and programs in India. Medical students and residents from Robert Wood Johnson Medical School will have the opportunity to work in India in primary care settings in remote areas as well as in a major neuropsychiatric institute in Bangalore, India. In addition, visiting faculty from India will come to the United States to upgrade their skills and collaborate in research at the New Brunswick-based institution.

Schwartz says that many of the students at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School are of Indian descent and would welcome the opportunity to go back to their country of origin to be involved in medical care and learn about cross cultural issues.

One Indian village's primary care center

With regard to the faculty exchange, Schwartz says that one major problem in India in the past two decades has been a 'brain drain' in medicine with some of the best doctors leaving for advanced training in other countries, particularly the United States and remaining to live here.

"This program would be one of the few that would provide advanced training to Indian physicians who would return to their own country with increased skills and continued opportunities for international collaboration in both research and training projects," he adds.

Dr. Schwartz on house call with a person diagnosed with schizophrenia

Schwartz's original Fulbright work was also based in India from December 1997 to April 1998. While there, he worked at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences and has continued to collaborate on a project on cross-cultural practice.

Schwartz hopes the program will provide the necessary assistance and support for underprovided areas of Indian health care, such as alcoholism and geriatric psychiatry.

Schwartz says that the work supported by the Alumni Initiatives Awards Program has been very successful thus far. Three American students have been to India and have recently returned to the U.S. Plans have also been set for Indian Faculty visits beginning May 2001. The students are scheduled to report on their experience to a medical school Global Medicine Colloquium, a newly organized student faculty group that is promoting work in international health at the medical school.