Christine McBeth, associate professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at UC Davis Health, has received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program award.

The award will allow McBeth to spend six months on research to improve trauma care in a country she’s very familiar with — The Gambia — where she has trained healthcare workers for years. 

Her Fullbright work will support the country’s National Trauma Injury Prevention and Management Plan for 2025–2029. The plan was created after a deadly stadium collapse prompted the need for stronger emergency care systems.

Unlike the United States, emergency medicine is not yet recognized as an independent medical specialty in The Gambia and many other low- and middle-income countries. As a result, emergency care is often delivered by physicians from multiple disciplines without standardized emergency medicine training, creating gaps in trauma care, triage and the management of critically ill patients. 

During her six-month Fulbright-sponsored appointment, McBeth will partner with clinicians and health system leaders in The Gambia to develop a longitudinal emergency and trauma care curriculum for medical residents and medical officers. Her research will evaluate best practices for implementing emergency and trauma care systems, including improvements in clinical workflow, patient outcomes, provider knowledge and attitudes and strategies to optimize the transfer of injured patients across the country’s healthcare system. 

“I am honored to receive this prestigious award,” McBeth said. “The Fulbright is a meaningful recognition of the work we’ve been doing in The Gambia and the difference it is making. This opportunity will allow us to spend six months focused on improving trauma care, helping us build on our progress and reach more people. I’m grateful for the support and recognition this award provides.”