About this tour
The town of Rovaniemi (the capital of Lapland) has an Arctic climate and the reindeer outnumber the number of people living in the region. Helsinki on the other hand is the most southern and densely populated, urban area of Finland. With a coastline of 19,000 miles and a distance of about 510 miles from Rovaniemi in the north to Helsinki in the south, Finland is a geographically diverse country. How can universal health care be achieved here?
During our long Study Tour to Finland, you will study and observe first-hand the public health challenges and opportunities of providing health care in a remote region of the Arctic and compare and contrast it to the urban setting of Helsinki. You will learn from an administrative and practical point of view how health professionals and administrators work in these different settings. We will investigate how healthcare is prioritized, which services are provided, and where these services are located physically
To further contextualize your studies and understanding of Finnish culture, we will go out into the beautiful and healing Finish nature, taste traditional foods, try a Finnish smoke sauna, and visit cultural landmarks.
Learning outcomes
- Compare and contrast the role and function of different health institutions and how they relate to the setup and structure of a healthcare system
- Observe the challenges Finland faces in relation to healthcare due to rising costs, aging populations, and unequal access to care due to geographical and social factors
- Connect theories and concepts presented in the classroom real life examples
Possible activities
- Tour the helicopter emergency medical service base (FinnHems) in Rovaniemi
- Speak with professionals working in health care administration to gain insight into planning delivery of services and covering a large geographical area with scarce resources
- Visit public research institutions and speak with local researchers to understand the scientific foundation for public policy decisions