Why Medical Placements In A Developing Country Are A Great Experience

This guest post by Kevin Owen discusses six benefits that will come your way if you choose to take part in an overseas medical elective.

Those taking part in an overseas medical elective are often faced with quandaries. They may have a clue as to where to go or a glimpse of what to expect, but the issues surrounding electives in a developing country are more than meet the eye reflects. They require an organized approach so as to ensure that you reap maximum benefits from the experience. Doing it as an individual is feasible, but the hustles and bustles that come along with this venture may be fatiguing, to an extent that you might be fed up with it long before you travel.

There are companies which specialize in organizing clinical placements for students who wish to do their elective term in developing countries. In this article we highlight some of the benefits that will come your way if you choose to go through this route.

1. Benefit from experience

He who has done it before knows the way better than someone who is trying out something for the first time. These companies have vast experience with medical placements because they have organized for others before. They know the bottlenecks quite well and are well placed to deal with emerging issues. They practically have a ready solution to every can of worms that you throw at them. They have a good understanding of what it takes, and are willing to accord you the support that you need.

You are almost assured that things will go on as planned. In case something goes wrong, the companies will usually have a contingency plan that will bail you out from the abyss.

2. Save on time and money

While preparing for medical electives, time is hardly on your side. You have so much to do, and the time available is hardly enough for you to gather your documents, pack your luggage, buy a few necessities and bid allies and family goodbye. It is always comforting to know that someone else is doing the difficult tasks for you, including organizing travel documents, looking for a comfortable place for you to stay and a decent hospital for you to gain the much needed clinical experience.

It is even more relieving to be assured that such tasks will be completed with a professional touch, with little or no room for error. That way you are left with adequate time to run a few personal errands. Time is money, and if you are able to save on time, you save on money.

3. Get sound advice on suitable destinations

Sometimes we are convinced that we have made a good choice, only for us to find out that there was a better choice. The same applies to electives; you might be convinced that Sri Lanka is the best place for you to complete your elective term, only for you to figure out that Ghana would suit your needs better.

The companies which organize the electives have multiple destinations, and they will open up your eyes to places you never thought of in the first place. You will be informed of the pros and cons of each destination. When you finally make up your mind, you are satisfied with the choice, for it is an informed one.

4. Get to choose specialities

Medicine is a wide field, with hundreds of small but interesting specialities. Some medical students are only interested in specialities which they consider relevant. For example, one may be interested in pediatrics while another may be fascinated by surgery or internal medicine or ophthalmology.

With placed electives you are given the opportunity to decide which specialities you will rotate in, which makes it more worthwhile. You get the experience you desired without having to hustle too much.

5. Enjoy organized supervision

Supervision is another important element of electives. If there is no person who is directly responsible for you in the clinical area, a lot may go down the drain. It is always helpful to have our hands held by someone who knows the way.

With such support the students are unlikely to do things the wrong way, and in case they do, there is someone to correct them. Supervision is necessary for meaningful learning to take place. The supervisor is usually someone in your department of choice.

He or she has a good understanding of how things work and will not fail to inform you on what is expected.

6. Savor harmonized accommodation

A safe and a comfortable place to stay during the elective in a developing country is a prerequisite to peace of mind. Most of the companies have a house where your belongings are safe. Besides, these houses have other students drawn from related fields.

Being away from home can be a lonely affair, but the kind of company you get in these living rooms makes life more habitable.

Kevin Owen has participated in medical elective programmes in a few African countries and strongly recommends www.worktheworld.co.uk for medical electives in Africa.