Spring Programs

Tufts University School of Medicine (TUSM), in conjunction with the University of Ghana Medical School (UGMS), offers a global health elective for fourth year medical students. The global health elective will include a clinical rotation at UGMS's teaching hospital, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, in Ghana's capital city of Accra. Clerkships are available in the following departments: Medicine, Microbiology, Obstetrics/Gynecology, Anesthesia, Chemical Pathology, Hematology, Pediatrics, Pathology, Surgery, Radiology, Psychiatry, and Community Health.

Students may elect to do a clinical elective during a 4-week block during the months of January through May (subject to clinical availability). Rotations must be a minimum of four weeks, with an eight-week option available for those wanting to do a research or public health project. 

Students will rotate on inpatient units as well as in outpatient clinics. By the end of the rotation, students will have a broad exposure to both tropical and chronic non-communicable diseases and will learn skills in disease diagnosis, management, and prevention. Under the supervision of attending physicians, students will manage patients and follow them longitudinally during the duration of the rotation. Students will be expected to maintain a patient log and a reflection journal as educational tools to capture the different patient encounters, knowledge, and skills they acquire.

MD/MPH students wishing to complete an Applied Practice Experience (APE) or Integrated Learning Experience (ILE) can arrange to stay an additional four weeks after completion of the clinical elective. Projects should be completed with the help of a faculty mentor and may be based on specific patients, health systems, public or community health issue identified by the student in close collaboration with the Tufts and UGMS faculty mentors. Please contact Dr. Ramnath Subbaraman for questions regarding how global health projects can align with MPH requirements.

There is no language requirement to participate in this program, but use of translators will be necessary at times while working in the hospital. Housing is available within walking distance of the medical school for a fee.

Upon approval by the TUSM Global Health selection committee, students will complete a placement application with the University of Ghana Medical School.  Contact Faculty Lead, Dr. Libby Bradshaw, for planning purposes and again for this application.

Faculty Lead:
Ylisabyth Libby S Bradshaw, DO, MS
Assistant Professor
Department of Public Health and Community Medicine
Tufts University School of Medicine
Libby.bradshaw@tufts.edu

This program places 4th year MD and MD, MPH students at Christian Medical College (CMC), the premier private medical school in India. CMC is located in Vellore, Tamil Nadu, which is in South India. TUSM has had a long relationship with CMC in research and medical education.

Students may elect to do a clinical elective during a 4-week block during the months of January through May. Rotations must be a minimum of four weeks, with an eight-week option available for those wanting to do a research or public health project. 

Students will have the opportunity to participate in clinical rounds in specialties of their interest at CMC's major teaching hospital in the town campus or other clinical settings throughout the CMC system, and/or to work in the Community Health and Development (CHAD) program in Vellore and its surrounding villages, where they will see and participate in public health practiced in a well-organized, community setting. 

Those wishing to do a family medicine rotation work primarily in outpatient and community settings. Students spend a week in each of the Low-Cost Effective Care Unit (LCECU), the Community Health and Development (CHAD) program, and the Rural Unit for Health and Social Affairs (RUHSA) and have the option to spend their final week at a different specialty of interest at CMC.

MD/MPH and MPH Student Global Health Experience:  MD/MPH students and MPH students may consider conducting their Applied Practice Experience (APE) and Integrated Learning Experience (ILE) at CMC; however, engaging in practice or research-based work requires a few months of advanced planning. Interested students should start discussing options a few months in advance of the TUSM Global Health Experience October application deadline (for anticipated Spring experiences) to allow for the selection of an appropriate mentor and project at CMC. Prior to arriving, students will work with their CMC and Tufts mentors to develop a project which may need IRB approval, and which can be completed in the seven to eight-week time frame. Please contact Dr. Ramnath Subbaraman for questions regarding how global health projects can align with MPH requirements.

There is no language requirement to participate in this program.

Faculty Lead:
Honorine Ward, MD
Professor of Medicine,
Tufts University School of Medicine
Division of Geographic Medicine and Infectious Diseases,
Tufts Medical Center
Honorine.ward@tufts.edu

This is an exchange program, and places up to 6 TUSM MD or MD/MPH students into rotations at the Universidad de Panamá Facultad de Medicina (UP). Conversely, up to 6 senior students from UP may come to TUSM for rotations. 

The elective is currently structured for Block 10 (four weeks). Students list their interests and Panamanian coordinators schedule them into available rotations in University of Panama-associated hospitals. The possibilities include all medical specialties, and students planning careers in a medical specialty are encouraged to apply. There is also the possibility of doing two 2-week blocks with different rotations to fill the four weeks. Students work alongside other students, interns, and residents under the supervision of members of the physician staff in a manner analogous to what one might find here in Boston. The rotations are focused on hospital-based medicine, though out-patient experiences can also be arranged. Student presence is typically expected from 7am- 3pm, Monday-Friday; there is no on-call duty or weekend obligation.

Housing is at local hotels, suite hotels, hostels, or apartments. Apartment rental can be arranged via Airbnb or through local listings. The Metro (subway) is safe, cheap, and very efficient for getting around. Many tourist destinations are available for weekends off. Because los Carnavales de Panamá typically occur during TUSM Block 10, there is the opportunity to participate in local culture.

Spanish language skills are important. Because of the long Canal Zone presence of the United States, and the general cosmopolitan nature of Panama City, many health care professionals do speak some English. But proficiency in Spanish is essential to benefit from this elective.

Faculty lead:
Richard J. Rohrer, MD
Professor of Surgery
Tufts University School of Medicine
Department of Surgical Services, Tufts Medicine
richard.rohrer@tufts.edu