Application, Availability and Funding
- No GHEs are permitted during rotation 11.
- Please note that the dates to do a GHE during rotation 12 have been adjusted from the standard COM schedule to ensure grades are posted in time for graduation.
- The Office of International Affairs (OIA) application must be submitted per the deadlines (given each year).
- Funding will be determined and awarded on an individual basis.
- GHEs are graded Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory.
- Approved uses of funding include vaccinations, coach class travel to/from the rotation site (not including sightseeing side trips), program fees, visas, the Office of International Affairs application fee ($150) and the supplemental international insurance fee.
- Any language training component must be outside of the 150 hours/four weeks clinical work requirement. Rotations solely or predominantly for the purpose of language training/immersion are not eligible for funding and credit.
- A letter from the host institution/program should be submitted with the OIA application and should clearly state the following:
- Approval for the student to do the rotation in a specified time period under their supervision.
- The host's commitment to evaluating the student's performance during the rotation.
- The host's training objectives and goals for the rotation (the rotation must meet the academic standards of the OSU COM and the experience should be at an equivalent academic level as a fourth-year elective)
- The elective is a minimum of four weeks and consists of a minimum total of 150 clinical hours.
- We reserve the right to deny any rotation including rotations that have been approved in the past that no longer meet our criteria.
Pre-Requisites
- Students must be in good academic standing to participate in a GHE. Good academic standing includes:
- Successful completion of all Part 2 requirements.
- Not under review by an academic committee.
- A student who is approved for a GHE and does not fulfill these prerequisites prior to the start of the rotation will not be permitted to participate in the rotation and approval for credit will be rescinded and the funding must be returned.
- If a student receives a failing score on Step 2CS or CK prior to the approved elective, they may petition the Med 3-4 Student Review Subcommittee and the OGH for permission to do the elective; however, they must also have already scheduled to retake the exam. A petition does not guarantee that permission will be granted.
- The country selected must not be listed on the “Current Travel Warnings” issued by the U.S. Department of State. Travel to the country must be safe as determined by the OIA who have final approval on safety issues.
- The host site must be in a developing nation (lower, lower middle or upper middle income). The World Bank provides a list of qualifying countries; however each site will be evaluated individually and presence on this list does not guarantee approval.
- Once a student’s elective is approved, the location of the rotation (site, hospital, country, etc.) may not be changed without prior approval from the OGH.
Objectives
- The rotation should be consistent with the Vision and Mission of the OGH.
- The rotation must provide a medical experience that is not otherwise obtainable at the OSU COM.
- The rotation must meet the academic standards of the OSU COM and the experience should be at an equivalent academic level to a fourth-year elective.
- The rotation should include one or more of the following four objectives:
- Learning about the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and disorders unique to a low-resource setting
- Learning about preventative public health measures in a low-resource setting
- Learning about the healthcare delivery system in a low-resource setting
- Learning about unique cultural influences on the etiology, diagnosis and treatment of disease of marginalized people
Pre-Travel Requirements
- Students must schedule a pre-departure meeting with the OGH, which will include an explanation of the GHE requirements, site-specific tips on travel safety and cultural competency and COM expectations.
- Each student must complete the designated modules from the USAID Global Health eLearning Center and submit a certificate of completion for each module. USAID suggests that each module will take from one hour to two and a half hours to complete depending on the topic and your knowledge. Most students find it takes far less time than that.
- Each student must complete an Office of International Affairs (OIA) application online and submit a fee of $150. After you have completed your OIA application, you will be signed up for a supplemental health insurance policy and charged a fee per day for the duration of the GHE.
- The student is responsible for taking the preceptor evaluation form to the rotation and returning it to the OGH after the rotation.
Post-Travel Requirements
- All requirements must be submitted within two weeks of completing the GHE or a grade of "Incomplete" will be posted to the student's record. Requirements for GHEs completed during rotation 12 are due on April 21 due to graduation deadlines.
- Students must complete a course and site evaluation on Vitals.
- Students must submit the preceptor evaluation from their host to the OGH.
- Students must complete a travel summary and reflective/impact essay.