Preparing for a Medical Elective

Dr Connie Wiskin

Academic Lead SSC & ElectiveCollege of Medical & Dental SciencesUniversity of Birminghamwww.isu.bham.ac.uk

Done – placement and supervisors!

To Do – Health & Safety, feasibility & Protocol Dec 12th 12pmElective period May 6-June 14th ‘12 (i.e. before re-sit week)

If your placement lets you down you will need to apply for an extension, clearly documenting when the placement was confirmed, and withdrawn.

You might get lucky with something similar, but this is likely to be where your Plan B comes in….

Contact SDSO if there is anything personal impacting on your plans.

If you’ve been contacting countless places since June and had no luck (although this shouldn’t be the case at this stage) you need to provide dated documentation of all your endeavours

Home or away? – educational objective setting…

Robust?

• Properly contextualised• Modelled on a NAMED model/inspirational

publication or published style• Thoroughly referenced (clinical area,

demographics, methodologies etc as apply)• A relevant subject that is important, and adds

to the knowledge base• Why do you need to be in that location, to do

that project?• So ask yourself :“the point of this is…. WHAT…?” before submitting your protocol!

Personal & professional goals(attitude)

Do some reading!

Practical considerations

• Documents• Insurance (health,

travel, indemnity)• Visa• ID• Dean’s letters, etc• Curtailment

• Email to self!

Drawing by Martin Howard

James Scott, Australian medical student, lost in the Himalayas for forty-three days without food.

Risk assessment

http://www.fco.gov.uk/

Political instabilityTravel conditions

Environment

Personal safety

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF FIRST?

Vital preparation is a full risk assessment

• What is the anticipated risk and/or situation?

• What have you thought about in advance to minimise, manage or mitigate it?

Problems? ….

• We can you responsible for things you’ve not planned well, or should have foreseen

• We will NOT hold you responsible for the inevitable changes/challenges/barriers that can occur on location

• If there is a problem, be flexible – what CAN you achieve with what you have?

• If the political or environmental climate changes and you are not comfortable GET OUT! You are more important than the report!!!

Project?

• Think ahead• Choose a focussed

question or area for investigation

• Liaise with the host (eg about research opportunities, other experiences

• Publication?

Ethical electives

• What does that mean to you?

Self-preparation for working independently in a new environment

• “On Elective I was never asked/allowed to do anything that I wouldn't have been asked/allowed to do as a UK undergraduate medical student ”

• 39.2% replied FALSE

• 54% Were asked to do something not permitted for a UK medical student

Communication & professional behaviour

• Language (learn a phrase or two?)• Culture• Open minded curiosity (please avoid –

albeit unintentional - cultural imperialism!)

• Consultation style• Local ethics • Hierarchy etc….

Bursaries

• There are School run and external bursaries you can apply for

• NB School ones total about 25, so they are highly competitive (so plan according to your means, and have a B-plan!)

• Look elsewhere too for subject specific opportunities• Thoughtless applications represent us poorly, and

could result in exclusion for all you apply for internally…. (eg don’t submit your paediatric study for an elderly care award!)

• ATT is based, in particular, on academic excellence, but this should apply to ALL applications

• Internal bursaries will be advertised in December…. So watch your mailbox.

SSC Team – not individual academics please!We have a system!SSCGeneralAdmin@contacts.bham.ac.ukThere are standard letters already in place for you…Ditto information re Bursaries etc

0121 414 6889

NOW GO AND ENJOY IT!