Rotations

Requirements

Residents may complete a 1-2 month international rotation after their intern year of residency. All international electives must be approved by the residency program leadership, the Global Medicine Pathway Director, the Global Medicine Chief Resident, and the designated international site director.

Pre-departure Orientation

Residents traveling internationally must complete the pre-departure checklist and orientation as described in the Predeparture Orientation online Canvas course.  (If you need to be added to that course, please contact globalhealth@umn.edu.)

1. Register with The Global Programs and Strategy Alliance 6-8 weeks prior to planned departure. Register online

Note: You will click on the yellow box at the bottom of the registration website with the words "Start Registration" to give your trip itinerary and emergency contact information to GPS and obtain CISI International Insurance. You will also sign a release and waiver form before submitting this registration process online.

2. Check the US Department of State's Travel Advisories website to see if your destination country or location is designated as Level 3 (Reconsider Travel) or 4 (Do Not Travel). If your destination country or location is designated as Level 3 or 4, you must apply for travel approval from the International Travel Risk Assessment and Advisory Committee (ITRAAC). Do not buy your plane ticket until you have obtained this approval. 

4. Complete the mandatory pre-departure health and safety orientation as instructed by the GPS Alliance.

5. Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP).

Journal

All residents traveling internationally are required to send an email of any length every 1-2 weeks to the Global Medicine Chief Resident. Pictures are welcomed. This information may be shared on the Global Medicine blog.

Academic Project/Scholarly Activity

Residents who complete an international elective are required to complete a scholarly project or activity. This will be planned with the help of each site's assigned UMN Faculty Site Director.

Evaluation

A faculty member at the international site must complete a short evaluation form of their resident. Residents must complete a site evaluation to describe the logistics of their international site for perusal by residents interested in the same rotation in the future. These evaluations should be given to the Global Medicine Chief or globalhealth@umn.edu after return to the US to qualify for receipt of the one-time travel stipend reimbursement.

Teaching Presentation

All residents will write a reflective essay and/or present their international experiences in the Pathway Newsletter or at a Global Medicine Lecture Series, Department of Medicine Grand Rounds, Morning Report, or similar event.

Note to Meds/Peds Residents

You must obtain approval from Dr. Cindy Howard and Dr. Risha Moskalewicz of Global Health Pediatric Division and fulfill pediatric pre-travel, travel, and post-travel requirements prior to a pediatric international rotation.

You may participate in a total of 2 months of global health electives during your 4 years of residency. There must be one that qualifies for pediatrics and one that qualifies for medicine. Some rotations involve both pediatrics and medicine and may qualify for both.

Questions?

Contact Global Medicine:
globalhealth@umn.edu