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One More Thing Before You Go”: Pre-departure Training for Medical Students on Global Health Rotation

Study Objective: Global health is one of the fastest growing areas of clinical and research experience for US medical students and residents. Pre-departure training (PDT) involves not only orienting trainees to a global health training site but also covering general topics such as safety and evacuation planning, travel medicine, ethics in global health and post exposure prophylaxis. At the University of Vermont College of Medicine (UVMCOM), 10-15% of students travel for global health elective rotations each year. Approximately half of those students do so through a university sponsored program with a PDT curriculum; the others either participate in extramural programs or arrange travel on their own. Those students may or may not have PDT.

Methods: Medical students at UVMCOM who recently returned from global health rotations abroad participated in focus groups to evaluate their experience with PDT. An additional session was held with those who traveled through the UVMCOM sponsored program to specifically evaluate the PDT presently in place.

Results:
All students returning from global health rotations desired PDT. Those who participated in a formal PDT curriculum reported an overall more positive experience with their elective rotation. Areas for improvement in current PDT at UVMCOM were ethics and post exposure prophylaxis.

Conclusions: PDT enhances students’ global health experiences. All UVMCOM students should have access to PDT regardless of the program in which they participate. Modifications to the current PDT curriculum will be made in response to focus group comments.

Topics: CREOG & APGO Annual Meeting, 2015, Student, Clerkship Director, Interpersonal & Communication Skills, UME, Global Health,

General Information

Date Presented
2015 Poster Abstract

Keywords
Cultural Diversity/Cultural Competency, Healthcare Systems, Sutdent Affairs

Intended Audience
Student, Clerkship Director

Copentencies Addressed
Interpersonal & Communication Skills 

Educational Continuum
UME

Educational Focus:
Global Health

Intended
Audience
Student,Clerkship Director,
Competencies
Addressed
Interpersonal & Communication Skills,
Educational
Continuum
UME,
Educational
Focus
Global Health,
Clinical Focus

Author Information

Primary Author
Anne K Dougherty MD, MA
University of Vermont College of Medicine, BURLINGTON, VT

Secondary Authors
Taylor Goller, Mariah McNamara, MD, Molly Moore, MD 

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