Required Responsibilities for Students Undertaking IH Electives
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All students who undertake a 4th-year IH elective must complete the following list of responsibilities. These are required whether or not a student seeks a travel grant. Students who do not comply with these requirements may not be allowed to pursue their electives and/or receive travel grants after their return. Students participating in the Greece elective are responsible for all items below except #6, #11, and #12. |
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Related links: |
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List of Required Responsibilities |
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Before Departure |
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| 1. Book Your Flight | |
| Book your flight immediately to take advantage of advance fare prices. STA Travel (a student travel organization) is a good place to start. | |
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| 2. Review or Set Up Emergency Travel Assistance | |
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Medical students traveling abroad for electives are required to have emergency travel assistance. Emergency travel assistance is available to students enrolled in Aetna Student Health Plus (B.U. health plan) through On Call International (OCI).
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| 3. Research Your Destination | |
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Visit these web sites for country-specific information:
Review travel notices for your destination country; country description (gov’t, language, climate); local laws and customs; safety (e.g., using public transport, using currency); food and water, etc. |
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| 4. Know Before You Go! Prepare Yourself for Travel | |
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Review the state department’s Tips for Traveling Abroad (detailed information to ensure a safe trip to anywhere in the world). Make a note of the US embassy or consulate (provides emergency and other assistance to Americans abroad) in the country of your elective. |
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| 5. Immunize Yourself | |
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Make an appointment with the BMC travel clinic or a clinic of your choice. Your appointment should be at least 3 months before departure for shots to take effect.
(* For issues regarding BMC Travel Clinic insurance coverage, contact Dr. Sarfaty.) |
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| 6. Meet with Dr. Sarfaty | |
| Meet with Dr. Sarfaty at least 4-6 weeks before departure to discuss preparation and items in steps #3 and #4 above. Be prepared for your meeting! The Office of Enrichment holds these meetings periodically for groups of students undertaking IH electives. You will be informed of a session by Ana Bediako (617-638-4167). If you do not receive a date for this meeting, e-mail Ana. | |
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| 7. Request Emergency Card from Ana Bediako | |
| Once you have met with Dr. Sarfaty, e-mail Ana Bediako (abediako@bu.edu) and request that Ana send you the ‘Emergency Card for International Travel‘ that lists Dr. Sarfaty’s and state department contact info in the event of an emergency. | |
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| 8. Register with US State Department | |
| To ensure your safety abroad and allow family members to contact you in an emergency, register your travel plans online with the US Department of State: https://travelregistration.state.gov. | |
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| 9. Pick Up Your Elective Evaluation Form in the Registrar’s Office | |
| Before departure, visit the BUSM registrar’s office (A-4) and obtain the elective evaluation form for your elective. Bring the form with you to your elective sie and give it to your evaluator. The evaluator may send the form directly to the registrar, but a more reliable option is to have the evaluator return the completed form to you in a sealed envelope with his/her signature across the seal; then, you may return it to the registrar. | |
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| 10. Watch "First, Do No Harm: A Qualitative Research Documentary" | |
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Watch "First, Do No Harm" documentary online and complete the pre- and post-surveys. Be prepared to discuss the ideas and issues covered in the documentary at the pre-dep session: http://vimeo.com/22008886
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Upon Return |
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| 11. Complete Post-Elective Report | |
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Post-Elective Report (must be submitted within 30 days of student’s return and no later than the Friday before graduation) |
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| 12. Complete "Travel and Business Expense Report" for Travel Grant Reimbursement | |
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If you were awarded a travel grant, you must complete a "Travel and Business Expense Report" (Excel file) in order to receive your reimbursement. Go to How to Obtain Your Travel Grant (tutorial) to begin this process. |
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