international elective Checklist

NOTES

CHOOSING A SITE (Begin researching early in your residency training)

• Email Dr. Moore with countries where you would be interested in completing an elective
• UA College of Medicine links to international organizations http://www.globalhealth.arizona.edu/organizations
• AAP Section on International Child Health:  (Under "working opportunities" is a link to directory of overseas opportunities)  http://www2.aap.org/sections/ich/index.htm
  http://www2.aap.org/sections/ich/resident_resources.htm
• AAFP Service Opportunities for Students and Residents
  http://www.aafp.org/online/en/home/aboutus/specialty/international/interest/serviceopps.html
• AMSA global health 
  http://www.amsa.org/AMSA/Homepage/EducationCareerDevelopment/IntlHealthOpps.aspx
• Yale Global Health Scholars Program  http://medicine.yale.edu/intmed/globalhealthscholars/sites/index.aspx
• AMA – A practical guide to global health service http://www.imva.org/pages/orgdb/wblstfrm.htm

DETERMINE YOUR SITE (at least 6 months before travel)

• Speak with Dr. Moore for guidance in choosing a site that best matches your goals for your elective
• See if there are any state dept. warnings for your country http://travel.state.gov/travel/travel_1744.html 

SCHEDULE REQUEST
(Spring)

• Alert the residency program of your plans for an international elective – and request which block you would prefer

MEDICAL LICENSE (begin as soon as you pass Step 3)

• Determine whether your site requires a medical license to practice in the destination country and begin application process for this. Usually the site coordinator on the international side assists with this. Most nations require at least a U.S. medical license.

PASSPORT + VISA (prepare 6 months before travel)

• Be sure to have 6 months on passport from when trip will begin
  http://travel.state.gov/visa/visa_1750.html
  http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html

LEARN ABOUT YOUR TRAVEL DESTINATION

• WHO country info. http://www.who.int/countries/en/
• CIA World Factbook https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/index.html
• State of the World’s Children statistics  http://www.unicef.org/statistics/index_countrystats.html
• USAID Healthmap  http://healthmap.org/predict/
  
• UNSW Country Info/Links  http://www.sphcm.med.unsw.edu.au/sphcmweb.nsf/page/GeographicalLocations

REGION-SPECIFIC DISEASES

• CDC Destination Guide  http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/list.htm
• UpToDate has links to East Asia, Southeast Asia, Central & South America, Australia/New Zealand/Oceania, Sub-Saharan Africa

PRE-PLANNING WORKSHEET (complete 4 months before)

• Make contact with the overseas site liaison, if this has not already happened.
• Complete UA Outside Request Template document and turn into Stephanie Samson.  Alert Dr. Moore after form has been submitted

ADDITIONAL FUNDING IDEAS

• AAP SOICH scholarship http://www2.aap.org/sections/ypn/r/funding_awards/international_travel.html
• Yale Global Health Scholars http://medicine.yale.edu/intmed/globalhealthscholars/about/program.aspx
• The Sara's Wish Scholarship Fund http://www.saraswish.org/international_travel.htm

PRE-TRIP MODULES (complete prior to pre-trip meeting)

• Planning your global health elective http://globalhealtheducation.org/Modules/Pages/93_Planning_Your_Global_Health_Elective.aspx
• During your global health elective http://globalhealtheducation.org/Modules/Pages/7_During_Your_Global_Health_Elective.aspx
• Ethical challenges in global health http://globalhealth.stanford.edu/strategicinitiatives/ddcf.html

PRE-TRIP MEETING (do 2 months before trip)

• Meeting with Dr. Moore.  Communicate with site preceptor to make sure that no changes have occurred with your elective.

BOOK FLIGHTS

• Preferably select US-Based/affiliated airlines (as it may be easier to work with them to change your flight) – and sign up for their frequent flier program

TRAVEL CLINIC/VACCINES (1-2 months before trip)

Make travel clinic appointment to complete required vaccinations.  Consider visit for annual physical, dental, and eye also if haven’t done in awhile

• CDC Traveler’s Health (including Yellow Book)  http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/
• UA travel clinic  http://www.health.arizona.edu/health_services_immunizations_travel.htm
  
• WHO International Travel and Health Interactive Map (yellow fever and malaria requirements)  http://apps.who.int/tools/geoserver/www/ith/index.html
• Identify in-country medical services  http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/yellowBookCh2-HealthCareAbroad.aspx

TRAVEL INSURANCE (book 1 month before)

• Dates of coverage should extend from date of U.S. departure to day after your return. Choose one which covers evacuation. Companies listed are just a small fraction of the travel insurance options available. 

International SOS  http://www.internationalsos.com/en/
STA travel  http://www.statravel.com/
Travelguard http://www.travelguard.com/
Global Rescue https://www.globalrescue.com/index.cfm
International Medical Group http://www.imglobal.com/index.aspx
Highway to Health http://www.hthtravelinsurance.com/
World Travel Center  https://www.worldtravelcenter.com/

TURN IN PRE-TRAVEL DOCS (2 weeks before travel)

• Submit to Dr. Moore copies (paper or electronic) of: passport/visa, flight itinerary, proof of travel insurance, updated emergency contact info, destination contact info (med site/preceptor, housing), US embassy site, copy of medical license, travel itinerary.
• http://usembassy.state.gov/ - Lists US embassies in countries throughout the world. 

REGISTER INTENT TO TRAVEL

• US DOS Travel Registration: https://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs/ui/
• Review country info/warnings  http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_1764.html

PACK (1 week before travel)

• **See Packing List document
• http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2010/chapter-2/travel-health-kits.aspx
• Currency converter http://www.oanda.com/converter/classic
• State Department Travel/Safety Tips: http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/tips/safety/safety_1747.html

CONFIRM ROTATION (1-2 weeks before)

• Check with hotel, site preceptor, and transport reservations.  Should have ride at the airport arranged. Be sure Dr. Moore has your up-to-date travel and emergency contact info

NOTES

BOOKS FOR ROTATION

Oxford Handbook of Tropical Medicine, WHO Pocket Book of Hospital Care for Children

DISEASE RECORD

See UA Disease record document. Please track diseases that you see during the rotation. Can fill out in journal if you don’t want to complete document on a daily basis.

COLLECT PHOTOS

Please collect 3–5 photos of you in action doing patient care. Please have family agree to photo being taken first.   

DRIVING

Avoid driving and nighttime travel if possible

JOURNALING

I recommend writing daily about your travel and medical experiences – this will help in developing an essay and presentation on your return.  And it helps with coping with the culture shock

EVALUATION

Please have your site director complete an evaluation (click here for evaluation form).

NOTES

DEBRIEFING MEETING

Meet with Dr. Moore to complete debriefing worksheet

SUBMIT DISEASE RECORD

See UA disease record document

COMPLETE SITE EVALUATION

See UA International Elective Site Evaluation

COMPLETE ESSAY AND SUBMIT PHOTOS

Use guided questions in UA International Elective Essay document.  Comments from this essay may be accessible to other residents
-Comment on why you chose the elective, if it met your learning objectives, whether this will influence your future career choices, would you recommend it to others. You are not required to answer all of the questions but they are helpful in thinking about your experience. 

PREPARE PRESENTATION

Prepare and deliver presentation at Wednesday resident conference

PPD TESTING

Consider 3 months after travel