Field Stations

Annually in September, the Global Health Office offers lunchtime talks to first year students called "Planning for a Global Health Elective" to introduce them to Global Health international elective opportunities. A list of the elective opportunities is provided below. For our electives brochure go here.  If you missed the talk, please view the video below. You are welcome to email ghfomd@ualberta.ca with your questions.

Helpful information can also be found in the power point presentation "Global Health in Medical School" created by Connor Lengkeek, a medical student who went to Fudan University, Shanghai and Patan Academy of Health Sciences, Nepal. His presentation can be found here.

Students interested in global health electives may find the book Hoping to Help: The Promises and Pitfalls of Global Health Volunteering by Judith N. Lasker a helpful resource.

For medical students, clinical electives in Low or Middle Income Countries (LMIC) should be considered more as shadowing experiences than hands-on clinical rotations. Unless you speak the local language(s), the involvement in history-taking and physical examinations is limited. While medical education in many of the countries in which our Field Stations are located is in English, ward rounds are often in the local language as well. There are many benefits of a global health elective beyond hands-on clinical work.

The following are the partnerships we have developed for field stations:

Fudan University, Shanghai, China

This is a joint elective with the Faculties of Pharmacy, Nursing and Medicine.  Dr. Tony Kiang from Pharmacy is the main contact.  It consists of 3 weeks in the classroom with 1 week shadwoing opportunity.  There is a focus on social determinants of health and comparative health systems analysis.  There will be opportunities for shadowing in a hospital that integrates traditional Chinese medicine with allopathic medicine. Students from Fudan University also participate in this course. Unfortunately, this elective is not available in 2024.

Jinja Referral Hospital and/or Kambuga District Hospital

This overseas elective focuses on childhood malaria. Clinical and academic activities are designed to rapidly increase expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of uncomplicated and severe malaria, as well as some public health aspects. Malaria is the most common reason for admission to the Jinja Regional Referral Hospital (JRRH), and trainees will benefit from a high volume of cases, including severe malaria cases. FoMD Faculty member, Dr. Michael Hawkes, facilitates this elective.

Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda

Makerere University has many opportunities for our students.  Check out the brochure for more details.   

Mbarara University,  Mbarara, Uganda

This is a clinical rotation with electives available in Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pharmacy, Anesthesia, Surgery, Psychiatry, Research Project, Community Based Education Research and Service.

Public Health Elective, Kathmandu, Nepal 

This is non-clinical field station, 4-week elective takes place in a rural community in Nepal. Students work with the local medical officers as well as with community health and public health workers. Students will learn a bit about triaging and history taking in the context of a foreign culture and language but will do no procedures and minimal physical examinations. Much of the learning in this elective is learning specifically about how healthcare is administered in Nepal with their unique set of circumstances, challenges, and opportunities. Learning about how the PHCC operates in the larger picture of healthcare in Nepal and how the appropriate individuals bolster the system is the primary objective. Very limited spaces.

Patan Academy of Health Sciences, Kathmandu, Nepal

In this clinical field station, students will collaborate with the Patan Academy of Health Sciences to complete medical rotations and learn about its innovative medical curriculum. Given language issues and the clinical load of many preceptors, much of this elective will be shadowing and observation. Electives available in General Medicine, General Surgery, Emergency & Out-Patient Dept., Pediatrics, Orthopedics, Obstetrics & Gynecology. 

The elective consists of observation only i.e. shadowing senior doctors.  Students will however, have the opportunity to attend the weekly department conferences and grand rounds that are held every Friday morning and also access to the library including Internet service.