Pre-Departure information

By now, you have solidified your plan, finalized your international experience, and are making arrangements for your departure. 

Please update your Global Health Interest Information Sheet, and submit to Maria Sferruzza, Global Health Programs Coordinator. On this sheet, your final destination may have changed from when you originally submitted it, and your flight information has now been finalized.

Use this checklist to help you keep track of important things before departing:

6-9 months pre-departure

• For students who have chosen to go to an underserved area or are participating in a service-learning rotation, stop by the Department of Family Medicine for pre-departure guidance and advice. Dr. Bechara Chouchair, a global health faculty advisor, is on staff and can assist you. Contact his assistant, Catharine Smith to schedule an appointment.
  
• Log onto the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) or World Health Organzation (WHO) to check for immunization requirements.
  
• Log onto NMFF's Travel Medicine and Immunization Center (TMIC) for information about scheduling a pre-travel consultation. Email Maria Sferruzza for estimated costs.
  
• Log onto the U.S. Department of State website for international travel guidance and travel advisories.
  
• Apply for a passport or make sure your passport is not expiring before traveling. 
  
• Investigate funding opportunities.
  

4-6 months pre-departure

• Reference these MayoClinic tips for staying healthy far from home.
  
• Contact Linda Daniels regarding health insurance coverage abroad.
  
• Secure housing and book your flight: Expedia   Travelocity   Orbitz
  
• Read the Trip Reports and Travel Diaries submitted by Feinberg students. As a member of the FSM community, you may log in to the Trip Report forum to access a library of information (use your Northwestern email account to sign-up). M1 and M4 students comment freely about their international/rotation experience, social and cultural aspects, quality and cost of the experience. There is lots of "know before you go" information that has been passed down. Within the forum, you can also search by specialty and country.
  
• Meet some of our partner students here as visiting students on away rotations. As an M4, you may run into these students on the wards. They are students in their final year of medical school from many countries and would be happy to meet FSM students. As a member of the FSM community, you may log in to the Trip Report forum where visiting partner student contact information is listed. (use your Northwestern email account to sign-up). This is a great way to ask questions from someone first-hand.
  
• If you are an M1 or M4 and have been awarded the Feinberg International Health Fellowship, make sure to touch base with Maria Sferruzza for details.
  

2-4 months pre-departure

• If applicable, request a letter of good standing or submit application forms from the international away instistution to Barbara Reiffman, the Registrar.
  
• If you are an M4 and wish to receive elective credit for your international rotation, please note the requirements below through the Registrar's office.

1. All M4 students requesting credit must fill out the "Away Elective Approval" form describing the rotation and have our corresponding department approve your elective request. Submit this form to Barbara Reiffman, Medical School Registrar, before you leave. All questions regarding credit should be addressed to Ms. Reiffman
2. Please take a blank evaluation form with you and encourage the attending to fill it out before you leave. This way, you can submit it to the Registrar upon your return to ensure credit is given. This evaluation should be filled out by an attending who supervised you during your rotation.  If the form needs to be mailed in, there is an address on the last page.

• Take advantage of Feinberg's Community Health opportunities through the Office of Minority and Cultural Affairs and the Department of Family Medicine. This is a good way to brush up on language and/or clinical skills.
  
• There are student-run organizations that provide outreach services to the Chicago community and borders beyond. In addition to providing a service, these experiences are also great ways to practice and improve language and/or clinical skills.
  
• Some rotations abroad require foreign language skills. It is suggested that you take either a basic language class or refresher course before departing. Listed below are some resources for medical Spanish:

1. Conversación, a language guide for the patient interview in Spanish. 
   (Reprinted with permission by The Latino Cultural Medical Association of Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine)
2. Click here for an English-Spanish dictionary.  
3. The Medical Spanish store provides textbooks and other didactic materials.
4. Subscribe to the free, electronic newletter, called Medical Spanish Monthly. Each issue will contain language pearls, international medicine articles, front-line experiences, and cultural tips.
   

1 month pre-departure

• Update your Global Health Interest Information sheet to include flight and housing information. Send to Maria Sferruzza in the Office of Medical Education.
  
• M4s: Turn in your completed "Away Elective Approval" form to Barbara Reiffman, the Registrar.
  
• Read about and research your destination country: Lonely Planet; World Travel Guide;
  Fodor's;  Frommer's; Globetrekker
  
• Decide how to document your experience: either trip evaluation or travel diary and photos. When you return, fill out a Trip Report form so that rising FSM students can benefit from your international experience and comments. Your comments will be included in the password-protected Trip Report Library.  Please choose one from the list below:
            
            Trip Report form