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I was wondering if anyone had suggestions or experience with international medicine?
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Are you wondering about training for it or just how to go about doing it?I was wondering if anyone had suggestions or experience with international medicine for US surgeons specifically - either during residency or after. Spending time abroad doing medical mission work sounds appealing, but am not sure the best way to pursue this. I'd love more information.
Doctor's without borders would be the big name that comes to mind but they ask for a time commitment of a few months which is tough for many people. I am not sure they take residents. I advise you to start here and click on volunteer to see what you can match up with (you have to be a member though which if you are a surgical resident I recommend). Other options are talking to folks at your hospital and seeing if anyone is already involved with a group that you can tag along with (there was a group that went every year where I trained and I know they would take a resident with them), or see if you can contact a surgeon in another country who will let you come operate with them (one resident did this but I don't remember how it was arranged). You can use your vacation or elective time for it but the cases you do might not count for your operative numbers (hopefully that won't matter). Most groups make you pay your own way or fundraise the cost of you going (but if you find an attending already with a team they might cover your costs). I think going later in residency would be better just because then you might be able to do more independently but some groups take all levels including med students. If you can swing it financially it would be pretty cool to take time after graduation and do a long stint with doctor's without borders or something similar. Now that I am in private practice I can't get away much more than 2 weeks at a time just due to logistics of taking call.More about just going about doing it, what types of opportunities are available, and the kinds of experiences people have had. For example, what countries and what organizations are the most legit to work with. Also, what type of response did their program have to the idea. What length of time do people generally go for (I know it can vary, but perhaps people have some ideas about what a meaningful amount of time would be.) What types of cases do you do as a general surgeon? Anyone take residents? If so, what year?
Thanks!
I was wondering if anyone had suggestions or experience with international medicine for US surgeons specifically - either during residency or after. Spending time abroad doing medical mission work sounds appealing, but am not sure the best way to pursue this. I'd love more information.