Student Feedback

"This is a good example of how great the need is - and how to do a lot of things with a little money."

"It was truly amazing to see how much quality medical care is provided by the nurses in these villages after taking into account what they start with - basically nothing."

"The physicians at these clinics work hard to see a staggering number of patients each day and they do all the paperwork and filling out of forms as well."

"People came from all over India to be seen for nephritic syndromes... I learned a ton. The treatment options are grim for those (most) who can't afford medicines, dialysis or transplants. For one child who needed daily dialysis or a transplant (10 to 40 times the father's salary) the doctor gently helped the parents understand that only God understood why it happened and that they should focus on their other children rather than hurt them too by focusing on this one sick child for whom there was little hope. Although it was so disheartening, I learned much from Dr. Agarwal."

MEDI 7003 - International Medicine

Vellore 2009 - Mauskar Students work with the course director to identify an appropriate international elective site, those with which faculty sponsors have pre-established connections or that the students discover on their own. All rotations will adhere to a community service-learning model, that is, a structured educational experience combining community service with preparation and reflection. We strive to shape the learning experience around community-identified needs and advance insight related to the context in which service is provided, the connection between service and academic coursework, and students' roles as citizens and professionals.

Students spend up to four weeks living at an international service site participating in patient care under the supervision of qualified health care providers. There may be opportunities for patient education and emphasis on efforts of local empowerment, aiming to build up the communities in a sustainable way. Students are encouraged to integrate themselves into the health care delivery system, to explore community needs that they could address, and when possible, to strive to make an impact through community education and home visits. Recommended prerequisite: INTD 4030: Preparing for Global Health Work.

Course Objectives:

To advance knowledge of global health issues through clinical and/or community service in the following ways:

Provide medical service and compassionate care to individuals with limited access
Broaden clinical skills with respect to the practice of primary care medicine in a resource-poor setting

Appreciate the art of history taking and physical examination for bedside diagnosis, when adjunctive means of testing are limited
Gain experience in the evaluation/ management of common issues in tropical medicine including fever, diarrhea, respiratory disease, dehydration, and dermatological conditions
Approach the management of chronic medical problems â€“ diabetes, hypertension â€“ from the perspective of a resource limited setting

Strive to address community-identified needs
To gain insight into health care disparities and the social determinants of health
To increase cultural competency
To engage in self-reflection as a physician, contemplating the roles of health care providers and health care systems both at home and abroad

The Center supports a competitive scholarship program for students to assist with travel costs associated with participation in MEDI 7003. Click here for more information.

Travel Sites

Dominican Repubic January 2011 Approved sites include:

Clinica Familiar Luis Angel Garcia, a HIV/AIDS Clinic in Guatemala City affiliated with the public hospital San Juan de Dios, Guatemala
A rural rotation affiliated with the Universidad Fransisco Marroquin, Guatemala
An ambulatory site affiliated with the Universidad Rafael Landivar, Guatemala
Common River, a NGO in Aleta Wondo, Eithopia
International Medical Alliance of Tennessee sites near the Haitian border in the Dominican Republic
Observership at the Christian Medical College, located in Vellore, India
Togo
Ghana

Ethiopia 2010 Students have also travelled to China, Greece, India and Peru. Students with any international medicine opportunity in mind should contact Dr. Ruth Berggren to see if they are eligible to receive credit for MEDI 7003 - only approved global health experiences are eligible for credit through MEDI 7003. All travel plans are subject to revision by the University of Texas in accordance with State Department Travel Warnings. Students must submit a final copy of their travel itinerary one month before departure.

Grades

Students will be assigned a letter grade for this elective based on a reflection essay, patient log, H&P, professional conduct and feedback from on-site preceptors. To recieve an A, students must submit the following within ten days of their return.

An excellent essay that reflects on medical and social experiences, using the provided guidelines; or, give an oral presentation to the Health Science Center community about your experiences upon your return.
A complete patient log with dates
Write up of the the history and physical of one tropical illness case seen. In the discussion section, include a 1-2 page write-up that demonstrates in-deptmh knowledge of the disease and its presentation and management. Alternatively, students may choose to focus on a common medical condition and describe how it presents and as managed differently in the host country. Students are expected to write at a graduate level and cite sources appropriately.
Evaluation form completed and signed by site mentor.
- Students travelling to the Christian Medical College in Vellore must participate in three medical rotations at CMC and submit a Report of Activities in place of the mentor evaluation form

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MEDI 7003 - International Medicine