Planning and preparing for your global health elective or project is necessary to ensure a safe and fulfilling experience. Even with adequate preparation, problems may occur. Review the pre-departure checklist for students and residents to help you plan your elective/project and to find important information for travel health and safety.
Review the Student Abroad Participation Requirements for information regarding the UBC Faculty of Medicine policy on medical students traveling abroad.
For residents, review the Resident Education Abroad Policy Agreement.
Pre-departure training & Post-return debrief modules (CWL log-in required)
→ Click here to access modules ←
➡ Note: These modules are now housed on the UBC Canvas online platform. You must enroll in the course (located on the right margin) to begin.
Pre-departure training is mandatory for all MD Undergraduate Students who are participating in a global health project or elective. A series of four modules have been prepared by UBC medical students and faculty to assist you in your preparation for your international project/elective and post-return debrief. Anyone with a CWL log-in can access the modules.
- Pre-departure Checklist (Students) – Information regarding travel, health and safety planning MED Years 1-4; also includes protocols for planning a out of country elective in MED Years 3 and 4
- Pre-departure Checklist (Residents) – Information for residents regarding travel health and safety planning.
Additional Useful Reading and Learning Modules
- Guidelines for Undergraduate Health-related Experiences Abroad
- Ethical Challenges in Short-term Global Health Training – This (online) course consists of a series of ten cases to introduce trainees and others involved in global health research and service to ethical issues that may arise during short-term training experiences abroad. (John Hopkins / Berman Institute of Bioethics)
- The GHEC Guidebook – Advising Medical Students and Residents for International Health Experiences
- Child and Family Health International – Professionalism 101 – Advising on professional behaviour of participants on overseas electives
- Developing World Bioethics – Global Ethics for Students
Language Tools
- MediBabble – a smart phone app for medical translation; provides useful phrases for medical history-taking and providing instructions
- Google Translate – translate text in several languages
Travel Tools
- Fit For Travel – travel health information
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – travel health information for physicians and travelers
- Currency Converter
- Electricity Around the World – voltage and plug information