Power point from WinS 2010 Conference "How to plan a medical student elective"

1. Elective planning
Elspeth Hill
WinS Student and Foundation Representative
WinS Conference
November 2010

2. Introductions
Where are you from?
Manchester
What year?
Intercalating before final year
When are you on elective?
Feb-Apr 2012
Med school’s requirements?
8 weeks of clinical/research attachment + essay
Your own hopes/requirements?
Plastic surgery in different health systems with
++ operative exposure

3. careerinteresting &
enjoyable
clinically
useful
new
opportunities
new insight
travel

4. The BIG questions
Where do you want to go?
Home or abroad?
Resource rich/poor?
English speaking?
Single institution?
What do you want to do?
Research, hands-on, taught?
Which specialty?

5. Health Outcomes
www.gapminder.org

6. English Spoken

7. contrast different systems
versus

8. clinical research
specialty

9. Clinical

10. Researc
h

11. Specialty

12. Ideas
Network
• Friends
• Doctors
• Travel agent
• BMA

13. Personal Safety & Health
Coming Back Alive
• High risk destination
• Going alone or in a gang
• Insurance
Personal Health
• Malaria and vaccination
• PEPSE pack – check local arrangements
• steriles, first aid kit
Websites
• MDU, Foreign Office, fitfortravel.nhs.uk

14. HIV: be aware…
…but don’t let it stop you

15. How much?
Flights
Accommodation
Food
Insurance
Vaccinations
Equipment
Placement fees

16. Raising the money
• Awards/prizes – pre/post hoc
• Job
• Loans
• Savings
• Donations
money4medstudents.org

17. Presenting complaint:
Die-hard vascular-surgeon-wannabe,
anxious to stand out in job applications
Destination:
World-leading vascular centre,
Stanford, United States
Case Study 1 – Mo Chowdhury

18. “The operative exposure was amazing,
I saw things I would never see here,
I wouldn’t change anything!”

19. Mission statement:
Want to experience tropical disease management,
obstetrics and make a difference, whilst getting an
opportunity to travel with friends
Destination:
Rural mission hospital,
backpacking adventure,
trekking holiday
Case Study 2 – Emily Stinton

25. “It didn’t occur to me that I might die, I was only in ITU as
it was the only ward you didn’t have to share a bed!”

26. Presenting complaint:
Urgent need to get as far away from Salford as
possible
Case Study 3 – Sarah McNicol
Destination:
Major trauma centre, Johannesburg
“I just couldn’t believe the things I saw,
I’ll never forget it – I definitely learned
to become detached.”

28. Presenting complaint:
Post-finals exhaustion, requiring intensive solar-
sand relaxation therapy
Destination:
St Lucia for 5 weeks
Manchester for 3 weeks
Case Study 4 – Emily Moss

29. “The best time I have ever
had, I wouldn’t change a
thing!”
Outcome:
• Compared HIV management in St Lucia and
Manchester for elective report
• Re- audited HIV project, subsequently presented
nationally
• Tan lasted 6 months

30. http://www.thelancetstudent.com/category/electives/africa/www.me
dicstravel.co.uk
www.medicsaway.co.uk
www.medicalprotection.org/uk/students/electives/resources
www.the-mdu.com/section_medical_students
www.medicalprotection.org/uk/students/electives

31. Discussion
Elspeth Hill
mail@elspethhill.com