Research Publications & Quality Assurance

Every NextGenU.org course meets rigorous quality standards and contributes to the growing body of open-access, peer‑reviewed research in global health and education.

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Peer-Reviewed Research

  • Christianson, J., Frank, E., Keating, S., Chickering, M. (2025). Rapid Implementation of Open Access Pandemic Education for Global Frontline Healthcare Workers. BMC Research Notes, 18, 13(2025). Learn more

  • Kanabar, M., Chickering, M., Kofos, M., Kofos, L. A., Bhad, R., & Frank, E. (2024). The Digital World and Addiction Treatment. In Lifestyle Medicine (4th ed., pp. 9). CRC Press. Learn more 

  • El Haddad, S., Chickering, M., Kofos, M., Evans, K., Nguyen, D., Kofos, L. A., & Frank, E. (2024). Psychosocial Interventions for the Treatment of Substance Use Disorders. In Lifestyle Medicine (4th ed., pp. 8). CRC Press. Learn more 
  • Clair, V., Musau, A., Mutiso, V., Tele, A., Atkinson, K., Ndetei, D & Frank, E. (2023). Blended-eLearning Improves Alcohol Use Care in Kenya: Pragmatic Randomized Control Trials Results and Parallel Qualitative Study Implications. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction. Learn more 
  • Olszewski, A., Rossa-Roccor, V., Clair, V., Tairyan, K. & Frank, E. (2023). A Revolution in Training Speech-Language Therapists in Sub-Saharan Countries and Globally. In Handbook of Speech-Language Therapy in Sub-Saharan Africa: Integrating Research and Practice (pp. 129-149). Cham: Springer International Publishing. 
  • Clair, V., Rossa-Roccor, V., Mutiso, V., Musau, A., Rieders, A., Frank, E. & Ndetei, D. (2022). Blended-eLearning Impact on Health Worker Stigma Toward Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Psychoactive Substance Users. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction. Learn more 
  • Clair, V., Atkinson, K., Musau, A., Mutiso, V., Bosire, E., Gitongo, I., Small, W., Ndetei, D. & Frank, E. (2022). Implementing and Sustaining Brief Addiction Medicine Interventions with the Support of a Quality Improvement Blended-eLearning Course: Learner Experiences and Meaningful Outcomes in Kenya.  International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction. Learn more 
  • Frank, E. & Chickering, M.  (2022). NMA, NextGenU.org, and Enhancing Diversity in Medical Education Through Pipeline and Parallel Programs.  Journal of the National Medical Association. Learn more 
  • World Health Organization. (2020). Call to Action: Addressing the 18 million health worker shortfall. Submission 2 (pgs 5-7). Learn more 
  • Frank, E. (2020). NextGenU.org: The First Globally Free Degree, a Master’s in Public Health. European Journal of Public Health, 30, S5, ckaa165.023. Learn more 
  • Ewing, H., Chickering, M., Burner, L., Keating, S.A., Berland, A. & Frank, E.  (2020). Notes from the Field: ‘Nurses International’ Uses OER to Support Nurse Educators. J Learning for Development.  7(3), 459-466. Learn more  
  • Clair, V., Rossa-Roccor, V., Mokaya, A.G., Mutiso, V., Musau, A., Tele, A., Ndetei, D. & Frank, E. (2019). Peer and Mentored Enhanced Web-Based Training on Substance Use Disorders: A Promising Approach in Low-Resource Settings to Teach Knowledge and Skills and Decrease Stigma. Psychiatric Services. Learn more 
  • Tsuei, S. & Frank, E. (2019). Becoming a Health Advocate: An Interview with Erica Frank. Learn more 
  • Heller, R., Madhok, R. & Frank E. (2018). Building Public Health Capacity through Online Global Learning. Open Praxis. Learn more 
  • Rossa-Roccor, V., Malatskey, L. & Frank, E. (2017). NextGenU.org’s Free, Globally Available Online Training in Lifestyle Medicine. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. Learn more 
  • Patel, V., Weobong, B., Weiss, H.A., et al. (2017). The Healthy Activity Program (HAP), a Lay Counsellor-delivered Brief Psychological Treatment for Severe Depression, in Primary Care in India: a Randomised Controlled Trial. Lancet (London, England). Learn more 
  • Nadkarni, A., Weobong, B., Weiss, H.A., et al. (2017). Counselling for Alcohol Problems (CAP), a Lay Counsellor-delivered Brief Psychological Treatment for Harmful Drinking in Men, in Primary Care in India: a Randomised Controlled Trial. Lancet (London, England). Learn more
  • Frank, E., Tairyan, K., Everton, M., Chu, J., Goolsby, C., Hayes, A. & Hulton, A. (2016). A Test of the First Course (Emergency Medicine) that is Globally Available for Credit and for Free. Healthcare. Learn more 
  • Clair, V., Mutiso, V., Musau, A., Frank, E. & Ndetei, D. (2016). Online Learning Improves Substance Use Care in Kenya: Randomized Control Trial Results and Implications. Annals of Global Health. Learn more 
  • Coops, N., Marcus, J., Costrut, I., Frank, E., Kellett, R., Mazzi, E., Munro, A., Nesbit, S., Riseman, A., Schultz, A. & Sipos, Y. (2015). How an Entry-level, Interdisciplinary Sustainability Course Revealed the Benefits and Challenges of a University-wide Initiative for Sustainability Education. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education. Learn more 
  • Galway, L., Corbett, K., Takaro, T., Tairyan, K. & Frank, E. (2014). A Novel Integration of Online and Flipped Classroom Instructional Models in Public Health Higher Education. BMC Medical Education. Learn more 
  • Frank, E. (2008).  A New Way to Train and Support the World’s Health Workers. Medscape General Medicine; 10(9):219. Learn more [article and video]

Quality Assurance

Evidence-Based Development

Tested and published with open-access, peer-reviewed research available online.

Expert-Created Competencies

Based on expert-created, published competencies.

Collaborative Expertise

Created by a team with deep content expertise.

Trusted Learning Sources

Include learning resources only from universities, governments, professional societies, and peer-reviewed journals.

Skill-Focused Learning

Include activities when needed to address skills-based competencies.

Editorial Review & Quality Control

Reviewed and approved by internal editors and the quality control team.

Global Accreditation & Partnerships

Offer co-sponsorship from accredited universities and leading organizations (CDC, NATO Science for Peace, WHO) or accreditation through NAADAC and H-Pass.

Continuous Global Evaluation

Constantly tested by a broad learning network, including physicians, researchers, and students worldwide.

“I definitely feel like I have learned a lot more about this topic from here than I have from my medical school or public health graduate program, so thank you!”
F.H.
F.H.Course Participant
“The blended learning strategy with adjusted/relaxed deadlines made the experience more suitable for my schedule and allowed me to consume the content at a moderate pace while balancing the demands of work and family life.”
Ayana John
Ayana JohnCourse Participant
“Absolutely loved the content and material. Found it interesting, engaging, and very relevant to improve future patient interactions. Keep up the great work.”
J.M.
J.M.Course Participant