International Medicine ProgramsGeorge Washington University Medical Center


SMHS MEDICAL MISSION SITES

*Operation Smile - Worldwide
Operation Smile provides comprehensive surgical and medical treatment to children and adults with facial deformities in a variety of international sites on several continents such as: Africa, Asia and South America. Each mission is fully staffed with attending physicians, residents, medical students and other support personnel. Students will perform standard clinical duties and are expected to work closely with a designated mentor, who will evaluate the students’ progress. Operation Smile will cover air travel, lodging and meals. For missions between September 2010 and February 2011 the application deadline is June 1st 2010. For missions between March 2011 and August 2011 the application deadline is December 1st 2010.

*Project MEDISHARE -Thomonde, Haiti

Project Medishare for Haiti, Inc., a 501.c3 non-profit registered in the State of Florida, was founded in 1995 by Drs. Barth Green and Arthur Fournier from the University Of Miami School Of Medicine. It is an organization dedicated to sharing its human and technical resources with its Haitian partners in the quest to achieve quality healthcare for all Haitians. GW has been sending groups of medical students, supervised by GW faculty, on medical missions to Thomonde since 2004. Medical missions to Haiti are generally planned in spring and summer for one to two week periods. During medical missions students will be working in rural Haiti, and will see around 200 patients a day with supervising physicians. Students will perform standard clinical duties while in Haiti and are expected to work closely with a designated mentor, who will evaluate the student’s progress.

*Operation Heartbeat – China & Other Developing Countries
Operation Heartbeat conducts surgical missions to China. The organization is currently expanding operations to Ethiopia and other developing countries. Participating in these missions provides students with a unique clinical learning opportunity in surgery. It will enrich and diversify student’s medical education in a different physical setting and allow students to provide quality patient care to the people of China. Dr. Farzad Najam, a SMHS faculty member, and vice president of Operation Heartbeat, will coordinate student supervision for these surgical missions.

GWUMC CLINICAL ELECTIVE SITES:

AFRICA

University of Ghana Medical School, Accra, Ghana
The University of Ghana is one of the most prestigious universities in West Africa. It is located in Accra, the capital on the southern coast of Ghana. The University was founded in 1948 as an affiliate of University of London. It gained full university status in 1961 as a public university, and currently it has over 42,000 students. The university has several international student exchange affiliations with US universities, UK, Germany and Sweden.

The University of Ghana Medical School (UGMS) is an accredited six-year medical program based on the British school system. The first students were admitted to UGMS in 1962. Currently UGMS has 984 medical students, as well as faculty and staff that comprise of local and foreign trained doctors, many of whom hold advanced degrees from institutions in the United Kingdom, United States, France and Japan. Many graduating UGMS medical students go on to residency training in the United States. The medical school has exchange agreements with universities in the US, UK, Japan and Sweden, and receives around 150 international students annually. Some of the medical schools in the U.S. include Tufts and New York University.

GWUMC medical students can take electives in the following specialties while at UGMS: Medicine and Subspecialties, Paraclinical Sciences, Psychiatry, Surgery and Subspecialties, Community Health, ENT, Orthopedic Surgery, Ob/Gyn, Pediatrics, Radiology, Anesthesiology, Pathology, Laboratory medicine and Tropical Medicine.

ASIA AND THE SOUTH PACIFIC

Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Hospital (MGMCH) - Jaipur, India
Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Hospital is located in Jaipur, India. The school graduates around 100 students annually in its six-year medical program. The hospital, set up primarily to serve the economically disadvantaged sections of society, is a teaching hospital with 650 beds. MGMCH has electives in: general medicine and its sub-specialties including tropical medicine; general surgery and its sub-specialties; OBS/GYN; critical care medicine; dermatology; psychiatry; preventive and social medicine; ophthalmology; otolaryngology; orthopedics; neuro-surgery; pediatrics including neonatal; radiology; urology; anesthesiology and clinical pathology. Mahatma Gandhi Medical College will also provide GW students with free housing during their clinical rotation. Students must perform standard clinical duties while in India and are expected to work closely with a designated faculty mentor, who will evaluate the student’s progress.

Nippon Medical School - Tokyo, Japan
Nippon Medical School opened in 1876 and has a long history of educating health professionals in Japan. This elective provides students with a medical and cultural experience to help foster a better understanding of the evolution and operation of Japan’s health care system. Nippon offers electives in: medicine and subspecialties; surgery and surgical specialties; emergency medicine and psychiatry. Students will be exposed to the differences in Japanese medical education, emergency medical system design, and hospital operations. Students must perform standard clinical duties while in Japan and are expected to work closely with a designated faculty mentor, who will evaluate the student’s progress.

University of Kelaniya – Ragama, Sri Lanka
Founded in 1875 as a center of learning for Buddhist monks, Kelanyia was one of two great national centers of traditional higher learning in Sri Lanka. The University of Kelanyia is one of six medical schools in Sri Lanka. The faculty began classes with the admission of 120 students in September of 1991. Students may select a variety of specialties, mainly obstetrics and gynecology; pediatrics; surgery and infectious disease. Students must perform standard clinical duties while in Sri Lanka and are expected to work closely with a designated faculty mentor, who will evaluate the student’s progress.

Hue Medical College - Hue, Vietnam
In 1957, Hue University was founded with four higher education faculties: Faculty of Teachers' Training, Faculty of Sciences, Faculty of Letters, and Faculty of Law. The Hue College of Medicine was founded in 1975, after the reunification of Vietnam. Hue University is a multi-disciplinary and multi-field training center with 7 affiliated colleges and two faculties under the direct management of Hue University. Students may select a variety of specialties at Hue: medicine and subspecialties; general pediatrics; anesthesiology; obstetrics and gynecology; surgery and surgical subspecialties and infectious diseases. Students must perform standard clinical duties while in Vietnam and are expected to work closely with a designated faculty mentor, who will evaluate the student’s progress.

Hallym University – South Korea
Hallym University Medical Center (HMUC) started in March 1982 when Hallym University was established. The Medical School is associated with five major hospitals all of which are available to students for electives. The largest general hospital of the five is Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital in Pyeongchon, which specializes in Neurology. This hospital can offer free housing for students (subject to availability). Hangang Sacred Heart Hospital in Seoul specializes in burn victims. Kandong Sacred Heart Hospital in Seoul specializes in head and neck surgery. Kangam Sacred Heart hospital in Seoul specializes in OBGYN. Chuncheon Sacred Heart Hospital in Chuncheon specializes in Gastroenterology. Students who choose one of other the four hospitals will have to pay for housing. In addition, Hallym can offer electives in medicine and subspecialties; pediatrics and subspecialties; family practice; anesthesiology; emergency medicine; clinical neuroscience; obstetrics and gynecology; surgery and surgical subspecialties; dermatology and otorhinolaryngology.

CARIBBEAN, LATIN AND SOUTH AMERICA

Sabin Vaccine Institute - Minas Gerais, Brazil
The GW Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine (MITM) in collaboration with the Sabin institute have provided students with international research opportunities in Brazil since 2004. This elective is an opportunity for students to participate in patient-oriented research in hookworm vaccine clinical trial sites located in rural southeastern Minas Gerais State in Brazil. Students will participate in collecting blood and fecal samples from patients enrolled in hookworm vaccine studies, perform diagnostic examinations, and participate in data analysis. From this experience students will be able to gain knowledge of the importance of diseases that are not known of in their home country and gain a better understanding of tropical disease. Students are expected to work closely with a designated faculty mentor, who will evaluate the student’s progress. Knowledge of Portuguese is helpful for this elective.

Universidad Latina de Costa Rica - San Jose, Costa Rica
Universidad Latina is a private university that has campuses throughout Costa Rica. The main campus is located in San Pedro, San Jose, Costa Rica. The university was founded in 1989 and offers clinical electives to students at Hospital San Rafael, Alajuela Hospital and other institutions in and around the San Jose region. Students may select a clinical specialty or basic science in the following areas: medicine and subspecialties; pediatrics and subspecialties; family practice; anesthesiology; emergency medicine; clinical neuroscience; ophthalmology; surgery and subspecialties and urology. Diseases that plague Costa Rica are malaria and dengue fever, so working in infectious disease is also an option for interested students. Students must also perform standard clinical duties while in Costa Rica and are expected to work closely with a designated faculty mentor, who will evaluate the student’s progress.

Universidad San Francisco de Quito – Quito, Ecuador
Founded in 1987, Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ) was the first private university in Ecuador. This elective allows students to experience the Ecuadorian health care system through clinical rotations in the areas of tropical medicine and community medicine in rural primary health centers. In addition the following rotations are offered in urban hospitals: pediatrics and subspecialties; anesthesiology; emergency medicine; internal medicine; infectology; cardiology; obstetrics and gynecology and surgery. Students must also perform standard clinical duties while in Ecuador and are expected to work closely with a designated faculty mentor, who will evaluate the student’s progress.

Project MEDISHARE - Thomonde, Haiti
Project Medishare for Haiti, Inc., a 501.c3 non-profit registered in the State of Florida was founded in 1995 by Drs. Barth Green and Arthur Fournier from the University Of Miami School Of Medicine. It is an organization dedicated to sharing its human and technical resources with its Haitian partners in the quest to achieve quality healthcare for all Haitians. Students who choose this clinical rotation will gain a better understanding of infectious diseases, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and other related healthcare issues that continue to plague Haiti. Students will also be able to offer their expertise in the areas of patient care, training & education programs and lecturing. Students must also perform standard clinical duties while in Thomonde, Haiti, and are expected to work closely with a designated healthcare mentor, who will evaluate the student’s progress.  

Destiny University School of Medicine and Health Sciences - Rodney Bay, St. Lucia
Destiny University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Saint Lucia was established in 2001 as The College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Saint Lucia, with the goal of combining traditional education and modern technology to train physicians worldwide. This elective will expose students to the tropical diseases that plague many Latin American and Caribbean regions. Students must perform standard clinical duties or research, whichever field is chosen and are expected to work closely with a designated faculty mentor, who will evaluate the student’s progress. In addition to an elective in tropical medicine Destiny offers GW students electives in: medicine and subspecialties; pediatrics and subspecialties; family practice; anesthesiology; emergency medicine; clinical neuroscience; obstetrics and gynecology and surgery and surgical specialties.

EUROPE

Max Kade Fellowship Program - Vienna, Austria
The American Austrian Foundation, a non-profit, non-governmental organization, seeks to enhance the relationship between the United States and Austria through providing the Max Kade Fellowship for student exchange in medicine, science, communications and the arts. Students may chose from an array of clinical specialties. Students must be able to perform standard clinical duties while in Vienna and are expected to work with a designated faculty mentor, who will evaluate the student’s progress. This elective is offered each year to GW students during the months of February, March and April. Information about applying will be made available in the Fall 2010. The Max Kade Foundation offers scholarships to those qualified medical students, which covers transportation to and from Austria, as well as room and board. Knowledge of German is helpful for this elective.

University of Graz - Graz, Austria
The University of Graz, founded in 1585, was one of the first universities in Central Europe. Graz is an independent university that comprises of three research centers, 20 clinics and seven institutes. High quality teaching, research and medical care at the university hospital are the three focuses of the Medical University of Graz. Students may choose from an array of specialties in: anesthesiology; accident surgery; thorax surgery; pediatric surgery; medical university clinic; radiotherapy and radio-oncology; pediatrics; ophthalmology; neurology; neurosurgery; ENT; urology; radiology; orthopaedics; dermatology and psychiatry. Psychiatry is available only for German speaking students. Students must be able to perform standard clinical duties while in Graz and are expected to work with a designated faculty mentor, who will evaluate the student’s progress.

Mission Interuniversitaire de Cooperation Des Eschanges Franco-Americains (MICEFA) - Paris, France
MICEFA is a non-profit consortium that includes 14 Universities in Paris, France, seven of which are medical schools. It was created in 1985 to promote cultural and scientific cooperation between France and North America. MICEFA’s educational exchanges include students, post-doctoral students and faculty. Students may select one of the following clinical or research opportunities: medicine and subspecialties; pediatrics and subspecialties; family practice; anesthesiology; emergency medicine; clinical neuroscience; ophthalmology; surgery and subspecialties and urology.  Research clerkships will be available in the areas of: biochemistry; molecular biology; genetics; immunology; pathology and physiology. Students will perform standard clinical duties while in Paris and are expected to work with a designated faculty mentor at their chosen institution, who will evaluate the student’s progress. Knowledge of French is necessary for this elective.

University of Malta - Valletta, Malta
Malta is a small, developed democratic Mediterranean island nation, positioned as a cultural and political stepping-stone between Europe and North Africa. Students interested in University of Malta will be assigned clinical rotations at St. Lukes General Hospital. Students may select any clinical specialty or basic science; however thalamessia, dermatology and diabetes are recommended electives for interested students. In addition Malta has the following electives: medicine and subspecialties; pediatrics and subspecialties; family practice; anesthesiology; emergency medicine; clinical neuroscience; obstetrics and gynecology and surgery and surgical specialties. Students must perform standard clinical duties while in Malta and are expected to work closely with a designated faculty mentor, who will evaluate the student’s progress. Students who are interested to go to Malta between October 2010 and January 2011 must apply by the May 1st 2010. Students who are interested to go to Malta between February 2011 and June 2011must apply by the October 15th 2010.

THE MIDDLE EAST

Alexandria University School of Medicine - Alexandria, Egypt
Established in 1942, Alexandria Medical School is one of the Middle East’s pre-eminent institutions in medical education and research. The school has nearly 1500 faculty and 10 affiliated facilities. It is the second largest university in Egypt. The school is affiliated with four hospitals, Amiry Hospital and Shatby Hospital with specializations in obstetrics and gynecology, the Pediatric Hospital and El Hadara Hospital with specializations in orthopedics and neurology. Interested students also have the opportunity to gain a better understanding of schistosomiasis, which is a major health risk in Egypt. In addition to hospital specializations listed above Alexandria can offer clinical electives in the following areas: internal medicine and sub-specialties; community medicine; tropical medicine; surgical specialties; pediatrics and obstetrics-gynecology. Medical students will work with a designated faculty mentor, who will evaluate the student’s progress

For more information visit: www.iseo.alexmed.edu.eg.

Jordan Hospital - Amman, Jordan
Jordan Hospital provides advanced medical expertise and multispecialty care to the community in Jordan’s capital, Amman. Students will be able to select a clinical rotation in the following areas: surgery; medicine; obstetrics and gynecology; pediatrics and anesthesiology. Students must be able to perform standard clinical duties while in Amman and are expected to work with a designated faculty mentor, who will evaluate the student’s progress.

American University of Beirut (AUB) - Beirut, Lebanon
The American University of Beirut (AUB) was founded in 1866 as a private, independent, non-sectarian institution of higher learning. AUB has grown from 16 students in a rented house to a major university with over 7,400 students located on a 73-acre campus overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. AUB Medical Center is a 420-bed complex and provides all medical, surgical, pediatrics, obstetrics/gynecological and psychiatric services to the surrounding community. Students may choose from a variety of specialties that are offered at AUB such as: internal medicine and subspecialties; pediatrics and subspecialties; OB/GYN; surgery and subspecialties; family medicine; dermatology; anesthesiology as well as research in basic medical sciences. Students must be able to perform standard clinical duties while in Beirut and are expected to work with a designated faculty mentor, who will evaluate the student’s progress.

Hammoud Hospital University Medical Center (HHUMC) - Saida, Lebanon
HHUMC began in 1966 as a 20 bed facility which was primarily a small surgery and maternity hospital. Today HHUMC has acquired more advanced medical technologies and expanded and diversified its medical departments to include cardiovascular and thoracic surgery departments. The first cardiac transplant operation in the Middle East was performed at Hammoud Hospital in 1999. HHUMC offers electives in medicine and subspecialties; pediatrics; anesthesiology; emergency medicine; obstetrics and gynecology; and surgery and surgical specialties (including cardiovascular and transplant). Students must be able to perform standard clinical duties while in Saida and are expected to work with a designated faculty mentor, who will evaluate the student’s progress. HHUMC offers complimentary lodging for visiting medical students.

TRAD Hospital - Beirut, Lebanon
The Trad Maternity Hospital, as it was originally known, was founded in 1940 by the late Dr. Fouad Trad. Under the helm of Dr. Trad, who was one of the first Obstetrician/Gynecologists in Beirut, the institution quickly gained notoriety locally as well as regionally. This elective allows students to experience the Lebanese healthcare system through clinical rotations at TRAD Hospital, a small private hospital in Beirut. Students may select a clinical rotation from an array of specialties; however, the most notable health issue in Lebanon is the rapid growth of breast cancer patients in Lebanon. Students must be able to perform standard clinical duties while in Beirut and are expected to work with a designated faculty mentor, who will evaluate the student’s progress.

University of Balamand – Beirut, Lebanon
This elective provides clinical rotations at St. George University Medical Center. One of the oldest and most prestigious medical centers in Lebanon, St. George Medical Center, located in Beirut, opened in 1878 as a non-profit community hospital. Now in affiliation with the University of Balamand, students can do a variety of electives at this medical center that provides both inpatient and out-patient services to the community. Balamand offers electives in: medicine and subspecialties; pediatrics and subspecialties; family practice; anesthesiology; emergency medicine; clinical neuroscience; obstetrics and gynecology; surgery and surgical specialties. St. George University Medical Center also has a community health clinic for interested students. Students must be able to perform standard clinical duties while in Beirut and are expected to work with a designated faculty mentor, who will evaluate the student’s progress.

Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University - Israel
The Sackler Faculty of Medicine is one of Israel's leading health-care resources. It combines a cadre of 1,600 physicians and scientists, and a physical plant centered at Tel Aviv University that reaches out to encompass the central region of the country, serving 40 percent of the population of Israel. This elective allows students to take electives in anesthesiology; dermatology; internal medicine and its subspecialties; neurology; neurosurgery; OB/GYN; ophthalmology; orthopedic surgery; pediatrics; psychiatry; radiology; general surgery and urology. Students must be able to perform standard clinical duties at Sackler and are expected to work with a designated faculty member, who will evaluate the student's progress.

Al-Quds University - Jerusalem
Al - Quds University, also known as Jerusalem University, is located in the city of Jerusalem. The School of Medicine, associated with the city's Al-Makassed Hospital, is the first Palestinian Medical School. For security reasons students would only work in Al–Qud’s Jerusalem based hospitals, and would not be placed in clinical settings in the surrounding towns or cities. Electives are available in the internal medicine (general medicine, rheumatology, cardiology and endocrinology); pediatrics and surgery (general and vascular surgery). Students must be able to perform standard clinical duties at Al-Quds and are expected to work with a designated faculty mentor, who will evaluate the student's progress.

For more information, please contact:

The Office of International Medicine Programs
The George Washington University Medical Center
2300 I Street, NW, Suite 708
Washington, DC 20037
Phone: 202-994-2796
Fax: 202-994-0074
E-Mail: impinfo@gwu.edu