International experience

Wayne State University School of Medicine students have the opportunity to travel and study abroad. Students travel to a variety of countries and participate in patient care delivery, health education and outreach and health care systems education.

Goals and objectives

To gain knowledge of diseases that are uncommon in the United States
To observe and develop existing clinical skills
To broaden public health knowledge
To develop creativity in problem-solving
To deepen commitment to providing high quality medical services
To provide opportunities to explore alternate career possibilities
To gain experience in aspects of medicine beyond the core curriculum
To understand the relationship between medicine and society in another culture
To understand different health care systems
To develop an opportunity for research in international health and education

Students describe the International Clinical experience as a significant, expansive experience and report increased cultural competency and heightened clarity about career goals.

We recommend you start planning early and make a schedule of deadlines as some Universities require 12 months advance notice. A lot of things need to come together in order to participate in an international health elective and it's easy to get overwhelmed with paperwork. Consider the deadlines for:

WSU SOM applications
Overseas placement applications
Financial aid applications
Letters of recommendation
Proper immunizations
Passports
Visas
Travel insurance

After completing the below Guidelines to Choosing a Program, please contact Dr. Chih Chuang for approval at 313.577.3019 or cchuang@med.wayne.edu

The administration of Wayne State University School of Medicine has the ultimate decision making authority to cancel or modify any and all international clinical experiences.

Short-term experiences

The World Health Student Organization at Wayne State University School of Medicine is comprised of medical students whose goal is to gain rich medical and cultural experiences outside of their immediate communities. We aim to teach students clinical knowledge, facilitate collaboration with peers and other medical professionals, and encourage engagement in dynamic learning environments. We also serve our community by teaching our fellow students about global health through the organization of speaking engagements and seminars.

Get Involved

During your four years at Wayne State University School of Medicine, you will become intimately involved with Detroit and it's hospitals. Get even more involved with the city you serve by participating in various community service projects. To learn more about specific WHSO activities, visit the events page.

Global Health

At WSUSOM we hope our students have the opportunity to learn about global health through experiential learning opportunities. We will be partnering with Child Family Health International to meet the most up to date standards for global health learning and engagement. We feel our students will be best served by having culturally rich experiences in communities to learn from.

Please visit the The World Health Student Organization at Wayne State University School of Medicine website and select Trips from the top menu to see the most current Trip locations and information.

Donations

If you are interested in donating to WHSO, you can email us at wsuwhso@gmail.com or visit our Donations page. The organization ais grateful for any help you offer!