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Where Should I Go for Medical Exchange? Priscilla Liliana Puente Amador
AEMPPI - Ecuador AEMPPI UG
vpe.aemppi.ec@gmail.com
The first time I heard about the possibility of applying for a Medical Exchange was when I was in my 4th year of medicine. I was an ordinary medical student, so I supposed that opportunity had to be a long-term goal, something that just the doctors or the recently graduate students could do. The idea of visiting a new country where I could learn about new medicine skills, meet people with a different language and culture, has always been an extraordinary idea! Few months later, I was introduced to (IFMSA) AEMPPI-UG and I learned about different projects that they do, one of these is the SCOPE Committee and then, I realized that the dream could become reality! Earlier this year, I had the privilege of directing the Standing Committee on Professional Exchanges (SCOPE) in Guayaquil. For that reason, I started to think about all my questions and doubts pertaining to that topic. I realized that many students might be in a similar situation as mine,. So, I decided to write this article about the major fears or ideas that pass through the mind of medical students all over the world who discovered the opportunity to do a Medical Exchange in another country; all thanks the opportunity that that AEMPPI (IFMSA) SCOPE has given them.
Another challenge is the legal requirements. The visa is mandatory for some countries, for example, from Ecuador to Europe, it is necessary to obtain the Schengen Visa that sometimes is difficult to obtain. During my research about testimonials of students with previous experience in Medical Exchange, I concluded that this great opportunity appears to strengthen all the knowledge acquired during medical school. It will be the way to obtain professional experience and discover new treatment modalities or cures in all the possible areas of medicine. I am sure that this dream that medical students often have has became reality and all of us have been invited to participate. It is really worth it!
The first point that we used to have in mind, is the language. The capacity of understanding all the information is crucial. The comprehension of detailed information is vital for medicine in order to share ideas and develop options.
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The next point in this decision is based on the academic prestige of a particular hospital or country. Sometimes, we have excellent references about a hospital or a specific country when the medical treatments are internationally recognized.
medical students worldwide | MM 2016, Malta