School of Medicine
Faculty of Health Sciences Queen's University
 
Undergraduate Medical Education

Global Health Elective Award

GLOBAL HEALTH ELECTIVE AWARDS

Intent of the Award

The Global Health Elective Awards facilitate the exposure of Queen’s Medical students to health care systems and practices outside the cultural boundaries of Queen’s School of Medicine and the Canadian Health Care System. The intent of this funding is to provide awards that encourage students to broaden their understanding of issues in global heath care and social determinants of health, bringing knowledge and experience back to Canada and Queen’s University. This is also an opportunity for medical students to provide health care services to disadvantaged communities.

Elective awards are therefore available to all Medical Students from the School of Medicine who are interested in participating in a clinical or research elective outside the cultural boundaries of the Medical School and the Canadian Health Care System. The purpose of such electives might include:

  1. to gain extraordinary clinical and/or research experience otherwise not available in Canada
  2. to gain confidence and improve judgment in settings where health care facilities are limited.
  3. to learn about the natural history of diseases that are not influenced by conventional therapy.
  4. to better understand cross-cultural issues and the social and economic environmental determinants of health.
  5. to improve the health of those in disadvantaged communities.
  6. to explore the possibility of including international assistance in future career planning.

Application Criteria:

The applicant will provide the following written material:
 
  1. a statement from the local site supervisor indicating that they have agreed to act as a supervisor for the elective.
  2. specific learning objectives
  3. a description of the proposed elective, no longer than one page in length, addressing the following areas:
a) a brief description of the elective experience, including the location and the clinical setting
b) a description of the goals and objectives
c) information and skills the applicant intends to bring back to the School of Medicine
d) a discussion about the experiences that have led the applicant to pursue an international medical elective, and what background has prepared the applicant for this experience
e) a brief statement of anticipated expenses and proposed budget.
    4.  The applicant will submit the required documentation of international medical electives              according to the School of Medicine policy.
Application Process:

All applications must be submitted to the Undergraduate Medical Education Office located at 80 Barrie Street, Kingston, by the last day of February.

• A duly constituted Selection Committee will review applications.

• Successful applicants will be informed within 2 weeks of the application deadline.

Composition of the Selection Committee:

The Selection Committee will include the following members:

1) the International Health Liaison Student Representative;
2) the Aesculapian Society Vice-President Internal;
3) a student representative from the Global Health Working Group;
4) Senior Associate Dean, Medical Education;
5) Associate Dean, Undergraduate Medical Education;
6) Clerkship Electives Coordinator;
7) a minimum of one faculty member at large.

Selection Process:

• The Selection Committee will give preference to students who have provided clear goals and learning objectives that coincide with the intent and purpose of the award.

• Funding will not normally be provided to applicants who are participating in the Canadian Federation of Medical Students Exchange CFMS Exchange.

• These grants are open to students in all four years of the Undergraduate Medical Program.

• Funds are provided to support future medical electives and cannot be applied to previous elective activities.

Other Regulations:

  1. Successful candidates are required to provide a summary and evaluation of their elective experience to the Office of Undergraduate Medical Education within one month of their return.
  2. Award recipients will be expected to participate in a poster presentation at an appropriate Queen’s venue. Recipients will also be expected to be available to share their experiences at a brown-bag lunch as requested by the Global Health Working Group.
  3. Group applications are allowed. It must be understood, however, that if a group is selected to receive an award, ALL group applicants will share funding equally.
  4. Receiving an award (whether as an individual, or as a group) precludes a student from applying for this funding in the future.
  5. Applications will be considered for an elective that embodies the intent of these awards within remote Canada.
The establishment and funding of the Global Health Elective Awards are pending formal approval by the School of Medicine Faculty Board and the Senate Committee on Scholarships and Student Aid. (February 15, 2007)