Abstract
In the United States, there are a growing number of medical students participating in international health electives. These experiences have the potential to be mutually beneficial to both the host country and the student. However, there is a significant risk of unethical and damaging practices during these trips, including concerns for sending trainees without appropriate pre-travel preparation with inadequate accountability to local health care providers at a stage in their education that imposes an undue burden on the local health facilities. This article describes one first year medical student’s experience in navigating common challenges faced in international health electives and offers practical advice enlightened by the literature on how to overcome them. We emphasize the need for students to ensure adequate pre-trip preparation, communicate their level of training clearly, practice cultural humility, ensure personal safety, and engage in projects needed by the host community.
Highlights
In the United States, American medical students are increasingly participating in international health electives in low and middle income countries (LMIC)
One study reported that 63% of U.S students entering medical school expressed a desire to participate in international rotations, and over one-third of graduating medical students had completed at least one international health elective.[1]
The host communities and health systems benefit from the increased access to health care, health system strengthening by partnering with hospitals and schools in higher-income countries, and the improved quality of care through the academic rigor resulting from the medical students’ curiosity or
Summary
In the United States, American medical students are increasingly participating in international health electives in low and middle income countries (LMIC). There is a growing body of literature on best practice guidelines, curriculum development, and ethical frameworks for short-term medical experiences in global health.[3,5,7,14,17,18,19,20,21] Recommendations for medical students embarking on international electives include recognizing that the primary purpose of the trip is medical education, communicating level of training clearly to all parties, practicing cultural humility, ensuring personal safety, and focusing on activities relevant to and needed by the host. This article serves to offer practical advice aimed at medical students participating in international rotations in order to make trips maximally beneficial to both students and their host communities It explores the learning of a first-year medical student trainee doing clinical rotations in Uganda, presenting experiences which were tested against the existing recommendations from the literature. While programs sending students to other countries should have clear protocols for student engagement, it is the student’s responsibility to ensure that project methods and topics are respectful, ethical, and beneficial to the hospital
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