Hi,
I’m pleased to have found this sight by accident while I was searching for non-traditional medical school programs.
A little about me: I’m 31 years old and am struggling with the decision if I should go into medicine. I received my BA in Neuroscience & Behavior in 2001 from a small liberal arts school in New England. After working for a couple of years, I served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Costa Rica. I’m currently finishing up a dual degree program (MA in Latin American Studies and MPA). I’ve always known that if I ended up in medicine, my route would be less than conventional. I’ve taken most of the prereqs, but am missing labs and Calc, and as most of my science classes where taken over a decade ago, would want to take some refreshers and upper level science courses before applying to Med School.
If I go into medicine, I would like to work internationally, helping impoverished or marginalized communities (I would love to work with an organization such as Doctors Without Borders, for example). My past work and academic experiences have largely focused on issues concerning human rights and social justice.
Right now, I’m struggling with some of the ethical issues I have with the medical system. Additionally, I cannot find many M.D. programs in the U.S. that have a true focus on international medicine or social justice.
I would love to hear from anyone who is working internationally or plans to do so in the future. And more generally, it would be great to connect with anyone who relates to some aspect of what I’ve described above.
Glad to know this site exists!
Thanks in advance!
- Catharsis Said:
I'm pleased to have found this sight by accident while I was searching for non-traditional medical school programs.
A little about me: I'm 31 years old and am struggling with the decision if I should go into medicine. I received my BA in Neuroscience & Behavior in 2001 from a small liberal arts school in New England. After working for a couple of years, I served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Costa Rica. I'm currently finishing up a dual degree program (MA in Latin American Studies and MPA). I've always known that if I ended up in medicine, my route would be less than conventional. I've taken most of the prereqs, but am missing labs and Calc, and as most of my science classes where taken over a decade ago, would want to take some refreshers and upper level science courses before applying to Med School.
If I go into medicine, I would like to work internationally, helping impoverished or marginalized communities (I would love to work with an organization such as Doctors Without Borders, for example). My past work and academic experiences have largely focused on issues concerning human rights and social justice.
Right now, I'm struggling with some of the ethical issues I have with the medical system. Additionally, I cannot find many M.D. programs in the U.S. that have a true focus on international medicine or social justice.
I would love to hear from anyone who is working internationally or plans to do so in the future. And more generally, it would be great to connect with anyone who relates to some aspect of what I've described above.
Glad to know this site exists!
Thanks in advance!
Welcome to OldPreMeds. Your brief introduction shows a truly committed person to social endeavors. At the OldPreMeds 2007 conference, one of the programs exhibiting was the international medical school jointly sponsored by Columbia University and Ben-Gurion University. They maybe other programs or schools that have a ties or emphasis for such programs
Link to Medical School for International Health
Duke has an international program in Singapore. (I work at Duke hospital). I know that they also have a masters and PhD program in global health. Many of the people who have the interest of global health pursue a masters during med school. I think that there are a few schools that have global health programs. Good luck!
Thanks to both of you for responding. I have been looking into the Ben Gurion/Columbia program, but I didn’t know about the one at Duke, so I will definitely check that out and I appreciate both suggestions. Thanks!
Also check out American Medical Student Association (www.amsa.org) I think they have a global programs database that may give you more leads.
Welcom to OPM’s!
Tulane University has a global medicine center, and you might also look at the web site for Einstein college of medicine at Yeshiva University in the Bronx. My niece is currently a 2nd year med student after 4 years in El Salvador with the Peace Corps. I’ve only done a short term medical outreach to Niger, but am definately planning on some international health after I finish school! Also, Univ. of Kentucky is piloting a Rural Physician Leadership Program this year. It would provide valuable community health planning experience, and lessons learned in a geographically remote low resource area might translate somewhat into a MUCH lower resource area -combined with a residency involving global health it might be a great preparation. Those were some of the options I was looking at.
Kate
Kate
Welcome to OPM! I, too, have a couple of Web site suggestions for you.
The AAMC (American Association of Medical Colleges) and FAIMER (the Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research) has put together an AWESOME database which lets you search for med schools offering international programs, opportunities, rotations, etc. Here is the link: International Opportunities in Medical Education
Another option I’ve come across is a really interesting program at the University of Chicago called the Global Health Scholars Track . It’s a global health curriculum which is integrated with the regular medical school curriculum. You take anth, soc, econ, and other social science courses in addition to the sciences, and do two international (i.e., “study abroad”) electives/rotations. It sounds like a fascinating program.
Hope this helps!
Anyone know of any osteopathic schools with an international emphasis?
VCOM (Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine) has a full-time clinic in El Salvador, I think, staffed by faculty and 3rd and 4th years. You can do one or multiple of your clinical rotations there, and they also have a medical Spanish course as part of hte curriculum. So at least it incoporates international experience routinely in the educaton.
Kate
This was a great tip - thanks. http://www.vcom.vt.edu/outreach/
I’ve been doing some searching and haven’t been able to find any other osteopathic schools with an international medicine emphasis. If anyone knows of others please post!
Thanks Kate and terra_incognita for the great suggestions, and thanks to everyone else who responded. It would be great if there is enough interest to keep this as an open topic regarding global medicine…I look forward to hearing from more people!
P.S. I just took a look at the Global Health Scholars program at U of Chicago and it is just the type of program I have been searching for and have not been able to find in the U.S. Thanks again!