International Rotations

[6ft3dr2b]

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What are your thoughts on international rotations?

Where to go? How long? Cost? Travel arrangements? the pros and cons?

Thanks

 

[footcramp]

i think they are great, you can go anywhere in the world for as long as you want and the cost is varible. various modes of transportion are available. each trip has its pros and cons.

 

[M. Platini]

I need to check on this with my own school, but thought I'd see if anyone has any info from their own experience. When I was an undergrad they told us that if you planned your course requirements ahead of time you could go abroad and pay no more than the cost of a regular semester or year at our school. Do any of you have a school where, if you've met all requirements, you can take an elective rotation internationally and not have to pay additional tuition to the school you are visiting?

 

[66Lenses]

What are your thoughts on international rotations?

Where to go? How long? Cost? Travel arrangements? the pros and cons?

Thanks

I highly suggest taking this opportunity. Studying abroad will gain you so much more insight than staying on your school's campus or even in your city or state.

Mexico is a good place to try. A lot of times you can travel abroad for study at about the same cost as regular tuition (plus airfare, food, tourist extras, ect). Your school web site should have info on opportunities and costs.

Do remember wherever you go you'll probably need immunizations, a passport, some currency of the country you're visiting, and a little knowledge of the atmosphere regarding tourists from your country (this can really make a difference on where you plan to go). Check with your school though, they'll have information and pricing.

 

[gangrenes]

Hi. If anyone is interested in doing the electives in Sarawak, Malaysia the person to contact is Dr Wong JS. email: [email protected] or fax to the Medical Directorate of Sarawak General Hospital: +6082-240767

 

[zeloc]

For rotations in Spanish-speaking countries (such as Mexico), I'm guessing that you'd have to use Spanish in all of the hospitals? I really want to improve my Spanish (I can speak conversational spanish), but it seems kind of intimidating to jump into an away rotation while trying to learn all of the medical terminology in that language, plus the language itself. What experiences have people had in different countries? What is the quality of your clinical learning on international rotations? (ie not just the culture, the language, etc.)

 

[KitesurfDaEarth]

our school has a department dedicaated to providing international electives for med students. It is exteremly popular and the majority of our students go on one during their 4th year. You only have a month so to get the most out of the experience you want to already have the language skills required. So if you are monolingual like me places like south africa, australia, the UK would be choice. Bear in mind you dont have to go to an underserved country to get a great experience.

 

[Melimelomed]

I did a 1 month rotation in Cuenca, Ecuador in the summer between Med-2 and Med-3 and it definately was one of the best month of my life! I did a clinical rotation in general surgery and I was working in the hospital with the medical students from the local university. It was a wonderful experience and I strongly recommend it.
However, it is really important that you have a realtively good knowledge of Spanish before leaving. I realized when I got there that most doctors were unilingual Spanish and it was thus very hard for me to communicate even though I had a basic conversational Spanish before leaving...
I had no problem getting my elective approved (but I am studying in Canada).

 

[Paws]

What about say, London or the Netherlands? Belgium? France? Munich? Switzerland? Copenhagen? anyone do a rotation over in these places? I have done alot of work with underserved populations, I sort of want to have a little fun and eat some good goat cheese or drink some local bier. 😛

 

[med_heidelberg]

What about say, London or the Netherlands? Belgium? France? Munich? Switzerland? Copenhagen? anyone do a rotation over in these places? I have done alot of work with underserved populations, I sort of want to have a little fun and eat some good goat cheese or drink some local bier. 😛

You can definitely do a rotation in Germany or Switzerland, usually the various medical schools here have partnerships with US medical schools, so that facilitates the process, but I am sure you can apply directly as well. Heidelberg for example has partnerships with Baylor, Duke, Columbia, Johns Hopkins, and a few others.