Global Health Education in Ugandan Medical Schools: Student and Faculty Insights on Integrating a Decolonization-Focused Curriculum

Background: Global health education (GHE) continues to be shaped by colonial frameworks, with curricula often dominated by high-income country (HIC) perspectives that may not adequately reflect or address low- and middle-income country (LMIC) contexts. This study assessed the current state of GHE in Ugandan medical schools and explored perceptions and attitudes toward incorporating content on colonization and decolonization within the curriculum. Methods: We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study using quantitative surveys and qualitative key informant interview methods between March and December 2024. A total of 730 medical students, selected through stratified random sampling from ten Ugandan medical schools, participated. In addition, five faculty members from Makerere University were selected for key informant interviews. Quantitative data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed with STATA 16. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically using ATLAS.ti 9. Results: Most students were aged 18–24 years (72.6%) and male (68.8%). Awareness of GHE was 67.7%, while 45.6% were aware of the concept of decolonizing GHE. A strong interest (78.5%) in a decolonization-focused GHE course was expressed, with students recognizing its relevance to future practice. Key qualitative themes included the current state of GHE, perceived benefits of decolonization, feasibility and pathways for integrating colonization and decolonization into GHE, and challenges and barriers to curricular integration. Conclusion: There is high awareness of GHE and strong support for integrating perspectives on colonization and decolonization into medical education in Uganda. Incremental, context-specific approaches that address structural barriers are recommended. Clinical trial number: not applicable.