In an increasingly globalised world, the spread of disease is no longer limited by national boundaries. In Spain alone, almost 12 million inhabitants travel abroad every year (over a million to tropical areas) and over 6 million of the country's residents were born outside Spain. One of the results of these changes in the global landscape is that Spanish doctors are increasingly faced with a growing number of infectious diseases imported from other parts of the world.

The second edition of the course Imported Diseases: From Travel Medicine to Immigrant Diseases, organised by ISGlobal in conjunction with its research arm, CRESIB, and Hospital Clínic, was held at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Barcelona on November 29-30. The aim of the course was to provide doctors working in Spain with a deeper understanding of the main diseases that can affect both travellers and immigrants and to equip them with the tools and skills they need to manage these diseases.

The 2-day course, which had a strong practical component, brought together 23 students from around Spain. After a more theoretical introduction of the main challenges facing doctors in routine clinical practice, students were presented with specific cases studies and the opportunity to explore relevant issues in greater depth.