Fourth Year International Electives
Guide to Setting up an International Elective
UT Houston Medical School allows MS IVs to participate in international clinical rotations for elective credit during the fourth year. To help facilitate students in coordinating their electives UTH-SIGHT has put together the following guide.
Finding an away elective
MSIV Scheduling
Scheduling Rules
You will apply for an away elective as a part of the fourth year scheduling process. Scheduling is processed via three parts (A, B and C) each with different preference levels.
Part A allows you to list two must have courses. These will be guaranteed as long as the course is not oversubscribed, which should not matter for an international rotation. It is recommended that you place your international away elective here if the program is not flexible in its scheduling to ensure that you have the month you specify available. Note that any outstanding 3rd year courses must be listed here.
Part C allows a student to list other rotations in order of decreasing priority. If your elective allows you the flexibility to schedule when you will come, use these slots. The number of away rotations cannot "fill up", so you don't have to worry about other students. If you do not know exactly what your away elective will be, list what you would like to do and the time slots you would like to do it in, the authorization forms may be submitted later.
Student AffairsSpecial Project Form
Once you have scheduled you elective you must receive authorization by submitting a Special Project Form to the Office of Student Affairs. This form must be completed by you and the physician you will rotate with and must have their signature. In it they must detail what you will be doing and how they will evaluate your performance. This must be submitted 60 days prior to the start of the elective. A written explanation must be given if it is less than 30 days out. Plan ahead and avoid the administrative headaches. The form can be found online at:
Special Project FormGetting ready for your trip
Passport/Visas
To leave the United States you will have to have a valid US Passport. If you do not have one, it can be obtained at a local post office.
If you do have one, make sure it will not expire before or during your trip. If so, you will have to have it renewed; also check with the state department to see if your stay will require a visa. Some countries will not let you in if you have not filed the correct paperwork beforehand. You can access the state department website and see the entry/exit requirements for each country. Travel warnings and alerts are also available here:
Visa/Passport InformationFunding
Securing funding for your trip may be one of the most challenging logistical dilemmas. There are, however, many scholarships, grants and other sources of funding. Please see the Funding Opportunities Database section for individual sources.
Airfare
Air can be purchased via a travel agent, a website such as Orbitz or Travelocity, or with the air carrier directly. You can also contact the University Travel Office:
University Travel OfficeLodging
If you are going as part of a program, it would be best to contact the program director and inquire about living arrangements. If you are setting up your own elective, see if you can contact the doctor you are working with or a student who has been there before.
Insurance
If you have insurance with the school, you will be covered for medical emergencies, including repatriation. You are also covered as a student traveling abroad on university business. The International SOS plan and features can be viewed here:
University Insurance CoverageIf you have another insurer contact them to see what your policy covers. Make sure that they will pay for medical evacuation and any expenses for overseas health care. Insuring your travel expenses in case of loss, theft, or Acts of God can be obtained through:
Access AmericaSTA Travel
Vaccinations
Make sure you have the required vaccinations and prophylaxis for your trip. You do not want to be denied entrance to the country because you are not vaccinated against yellow fever. You also do not want to end a great experience with a nasty case of malaria. Information on current recommendations can be found at:
CDC Travel InformationUT-Houston also maintains a travel clinic where you can get a specialized consult if you let them know where you are going and what you are going to be doing. They can be contacted at:
UT West Loop Health Center
1776 Yorktown, Suite 150
Houston, Texas 77056
(713) 572-8122
UT Travel Medicine OfficeDonations/Materials
Talk to the program director or doctor you will be working with and see if there is anything you can bring to improve the quality of medical care. Donations and medicines may be an appropriate resource you can bring with you. If you do decide to bring these items make sure you check with the local health ministry of the country you will be going to in order to avoid violating customs regulations. Some sources of medical goods can be found below:
Medical BridgesMAP International
Medwish International
Contact Information
Make a list of the places you will be working and staying at. Make several copies and distribute to family, friends and the Office of Student Affairs so that you can be contacted in case of an emergency.
When you get back
Submitting an Official Evaluation-
When you return, you must submit an official evaluation from the physician that taught your clerkship in order to receive credit. This is very important, without this credit you will not graduate! This evaluation must be turned in to the Office of Student Affairs.
UTH SIGHT Reflective Evaluation-
The officers and students of UTH-SIGHT would also ask that you complete a post-elective reflection for future reference. Your comments and suggestions can help make the fourth year experience even better for future participants. The form can be found below:
SIGHT Experience FormPlease contact the 4th year electives officer if you have any questions/concerns!
