Our International medical students elective program is designed to immerse medical students in the medical field, broaden their understanding of the various specialties, and validate their passion for this noble career path. It also gives students an opportunity to see how medicine is practiced in another part of the world like Tanzania and a greater appreciation for the global nature of the field.
The purpose of this elective program is to expose students who want to pursue a career in medicine to its realities before they become doctors. Students who have attended past programs have graduated the program with a better understanding of the hard work required to be successful and their passion and commitment confirmed.
Students also come away with a greater appreciation of Tanzania, and graduates of prior programs have returned to their host country as students, tourists, and volunteers. This type of exchange elective program also presents growth opportunities for the host hospital in that host universities are able to demonstrate what kind of programs and degrees they offer and expose students to their medical faculty and staff. In addition, the program enables host hospitals to provide engagement opportunities between visiting and local students.
As part of this elective program, we would like students to rotate the following departments: 1) anatomy 2) surgery 3) the morgue. The other rotations could include shadowing physicians in any combination of other departments in the hospital, clinic, or offices such as orthopedics, gynecology & obstetrics, ER, pediatrics, etc. to support the anatomy lab rotation, which students will visit up to 2 times during their session. Volunteer Tanzania will arrange all other logistics outside of the university facilities, including transportation, overnight accommodations, food, and sightseeing activities. The opportunity to experience medicine in practice can be a life-changing experience for a future physician and provides the host hospital exposure to high-achieving, motivated international medical students.
This international medical student elective volunteer program is a very affordable way to spend a month or more in Tanzania, making great friends and having a profound impact on a host hospital with your peers. If you fundraise in good time, and make sure you are well informed on Tanzania and what to expect, you will have a unforgettable time and make memories and friends that will last a lifetime.
