GHEC is a consortium of faculty and health care educators dedicated to global health education in health professions schools and residency programs. Founded in 1991 as the International Medical Health Education Consortium, IHMEC met an evident need, membership rapidly grew, educational products were developed and the annual conferences were well attended. In 2005 IHMEC changed its name the Global Health Education Consortium, the new name reflecting the consortium's move to include other health professions besides medicine and a preference for the more inclusive term of 'global' over the traditional one of 'international.'

GHEC members are active in more than 90 health profession schools and training programs in the United States, Canada, Central America and the Caribbean. The GHEC mailing list includes more than 1000 physicians and medical educators, residents and students, with other health disciplines such as nursing and physician assistants to be increasingly involved. 

Mission
GHEC is a non-profit organization committed to improving the health and human rights of underserved populations worldwide and the ability of the global workforce to meet their needs through improved education and training.