Medical Student Elective in Mumbai, India

Medical Student Elective in Mumbai, India

Exciting clinical rotations for February 2004 are being coordinated through the leadership of AVSAR (www.goyalmd.com) in participation withIndicorps (www.indicorps.org), AMSA (www.amsa.org), and AAPI-MS/R (www.aapimsr.org). Objectives for this pilot program include: providing an opportunity for personal growth; exposingmedical students toan extremelyunique clinical environment; and mobilizing a large population healthcare professionals desiring international community service opportunities in India.

All applicants will be offered an interview, and a maximum of 5students will be selected.

Under the assistance of Indicorps, the leadership of AVSAR will offer a compelling three-day orientation on cultural practices, clinical challenges, and community development issues that will be encountered during the four-week experience. Students participating in this rotation will examine patients invarious settings located throughout the underprivileged areas of Mumbai (e.g., health clinics, sweatshops, homes within the slum communities, preschools,etc…).

Please visit http://www.goyalmd.comfor specifics about available rotations,detailed information about the application process, and other information regarding volunteer opportunities through AVSAR (such as setting up rotations, short-term volunteer opportunities, long-term volunteer opportunities, and the position of AVSAR Program Director, which will be available in May, 2004).

For all other questions or comments, please contact Dr. Ashish Goyal.

Ashish Goyal, MD
Program Director, AVSAR

011 91 9820888974 Mumbai Mobile
(206) 238 – 5709

http://www.GoyalMD.com

Students will be expected to work five-six days per week (~4-10 hours/day) in this primarily outpatient experience (no call). Elective rotations are currently offered through the following departments: Students will have flexibility explore other departments, but will be expected to have a focus on their own curriculum. Inpatient experience (one to two days) may be arranged with advanced notice. For the pilot rotation, a three-day medical excursion trip to New Delhi or a city in Gujurat is also being considered.

October 1, 2003 / -Questionnaire and application available
November 15, 2003 / -Application deadline (First 50 accepted)
December 1, 2003 / -Finalists announced
-Phone interviews begin
December 15, 2003 / -The 5 selected applicants and all alternates are notified
February 2, 2004 / -Tentative start date of the three-day orientation by the AVSAR and Indicorps leadership (Actual start date will be based on feedback from applications)
March 1, 2004 / -Tentative end of rotation
April 2004 / -First official AVSAR-Indicorps rotation

Pediatrics – Students would be involved with the following patient populations:

Child laborers – through the Niramaya Health Reach Out program. Patient interaction will be in the Reach Out clinics, in the sweatshops where these children work (and live), and occasionally in a temporary clinic setup for a health-camp in areas where permanent clinics have not been established.

Preschool children – through the Balwadi Health Intervention camps held daily in one 100 different slum areas being targeted by Niramaya.

Adolescents – Through the Reach Out clinics and the Adolescent Health and Sex Education program.

Adolescent Medicine – Similar to the Pediatric clerkship, but with a stronger focus on participating in the adolescent health and sex education training programs (this may include at least one class taught by the student – in English or Hindi). Students will be encouraged to explore and share ideas on program expansion and efficacy.

Family Medicine – Adult and pediatric patients will be examined in the Reach Out clinics. Students will be required to spend at least five days of their clinical experience in clinics focused primarily on adult medicine (the clinics may or may not focus an underprivileged population). Participation in Niramaya’s Community Health program will be optional. This program is focuses on the primary healthcare of women living in the surrounding communities. Female students will be encouraged to participate at least once during their elective.

Internal Medicine – The Reach Out clinics treat a limited number of adult patients (including the staff of Niramaya and Pratham, sweatshop managers, and members of the surrounding community). Since Niramaya’s focus is mainly the slum-dwelling youth of Mumbai, students who come through sponsorship of an Internal Medicine department will be required to spend at least ten days of their clinical experience in clinics focused only on adult medicine (the clinics may or may not focus on an underprivileged population).

Infectious Diseases – Patients in these communities have a variety of skin, GI, and respiratory tract infections. It may be possible to arrange for a clinical (or research) elective through the Infectious Diseases department at your school.

OB/GYN – Students will work in Niramaya’s Community Health program, which focuses on the primary healthcare of women living in the surrounding communities. Door to door treatment, education, and gynecological exams are provided, and students should be aware that obstetrics is currently not a major focus of this program (although you are welcome to change that if you would like). Students may also request time in a private clinical setting.

Other such programs are not available in India. While a few other rotation opportunities are available, it is unlikely that you will find a rotation offering such a unique clinical environment with the ground support and orientation needed to make this an easy experience. Plus, we do not ask for an application fee.

The model was initiated by a U.S. medical student to minimize the difficulties experienced during his own four-week clinical rotation in Mumbai. “Western” support. The leadership of AVSAR (www.goyalmd.com) and Indicorps (www.indicorps.org) is Indo-American, and will provide a three-day orientation covering topics such as cultural practices, clinical challenges, language support, and community development issues that may be encountered during the elective.

The leadership of AVSAR and the Niramaya Health Foundation will be available for support throughout the experience.

Objectives:

A. To connect a population of motivated medical students seeking quality international clinical experience with passionate grass-roots organizations promoting community health in India;

B. To create a clerkship experience which promotes both personal and professional growth;

C. To expose students to a participatory model of health care, with a focus on empowerment of local communities through health education;

D. To bring increased health services to developing communities in India;

E. To aid students in developing the skills and competencies needed for effective healthcare in underprivileged areas;

This rotation will be implemented through Pratham’s Niramaya Healthr Foundation (www.niramaya.org) in the underprivileged communities of Mumbai, India (including Dharavi; world’s largest slum).

If you are a third-year or fourth-year medical student applying for this elective, you will be asked to help establish this rotation at your school. This will allow you to get credit, and it will allow other students to also participate in this program in the future. We will provide the necessary paperwork needed for making this part of the application as easy as possible.

The first 50 applications will be accepted for the pilot program. All applicants will be offered an interview, and a total of 5 applicants will be accepted for the February, 2004 elective.