International Medical Student Electives
The department offers clinical electives in family medicine to international students. These electives are open to upper level medical students interested in experiencing ambulatory family medicine in the United States. Students are assigned to one of the department's clinical sites where they are supervised by a family physician and see patients in the ambulatory setting. They also participate in didactic experiences through which they study the principles of family and primary care medicine, learn about the U.S. health care systems, and are exposed to information regarding common primary care problems seen by family physicians.
Likewise, the department coordinates international study experiences in family medicine for Baylor medical students. Baylor students have arranged family medicine electives in the following countries: Australia, China, Chile, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Peru, Swaziland, Taiwan and Zimbabwe.
Three electives are offered by our department for students attending medical schools outside the United States or Canada:
- International Clinical Preceptorship in Family Medicine #740-505B
- Immigrant Medicine #740-512
- Principles of Care Preceptorship #740-513
- Complete list of Baylor electives
Description of Electives and Contacts
- 740-505B International Clinical Preceptorship in Family Medicine
[Parkerson (grp@bcm.edu), staff, 713-798-7740]
Clinical Elective: Counts toward 32-credit-hour graduation requirement. Minimum of four weeks full time.
Credits: 8
Prerequisites: 12 weeks of core rotations including the Core Rotation in Family and Community Medicine and departmental approval. Minimum number of students required for elective to be offered - one. Maximum number of students admitted to elective - open. Dates offered coincide with four-week clinical rotation dates. This elective is for Baylor students interested in doing a family medicine preceptorship at an international location. It is also open to students from an international medical school (non U.S. or Canadian) wishing to do a family medicine preceptorship at Baylor College of Medicine.
An important objective is the opportunity to compare the health care in a different country to that of the United States. Emphasis is on the comprehensive assessment of the clinical problems of patients and their families, implementation of management plans, patient follow-up, clinical preventive medicine, public health issues, and the organization and economics of a primary care practice. Baylor students interested in doing this elective at an international location should contact the elective coordinator at 713-798-7740 six months in advance of the anticipated start date. International students interested in this elective must contact the Office of the Registrar six months in advance of the anticipated start date.
- 740-512 Immigrant Medicine
[McColloster (trickm@bcm.edu, staff 713-798-6590]
Clinical Elective: Counts toward 32-credit hour graduation requirement. Minimum of four weeks - full time.
Credits: 8.
Prerequisites: Completion of the following rotations: Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, OB/Gyn, Psychiatry, General Surgery. Minimum number of students required for elective to be offered - two. Maximum number of students admitted to elective - two. Offered each quarter. Open to Baylor students and those from U.S. or Canadian medical schools. Open to students from international medical schools (non U.S. or Canadian).
This elective is a cooperative arrangement among Casa Juan Diego, Catholic Hospitality House for Immigrants, Baylor College of Medicine, the Harris County Hospital District and the Ben Taub Tuberculosis Program. By the completion of this course, students should be able to diagnose and treat the most common conditions confronting immigrants. Conversational ability in simple English and Spanish is required. An effort will be made to pair one international medical student with a U.S. student during the elective to promote cultural exchange. Enrolled students are expected to perform evaluations at outpatient clinics for immigrants, read the assigned material and complete an open book test each week. Students are also required to write a simple two-page proposal for expansion of immigrant health services.
- 740-513: Principles of Care Preceptorship
[TBA, staff, 713-798-6590]
Clinical Elective: Counts toward 32-hour graduation requirement, four weeks - full time.
Credits: 8
Prerequisites: Completion of all core third year rotations. Minimum number of students required for elective to be offered - one. Maximum number of students admitted to elective - two. Offered each quarter except in March and July. Open to Baylor students and those from U.S. or Canadian medical schools. Open to students from international medical schools (non U.S. or Canadian).
Students taking this elective should learn how to incorporate principles of family medicine in the care of patients with emphasis on continuity of care, comprehensiveness of care, coordination of care, family, prevention and community. Students should gain experience in the care of patients with an urban small group practice and gain exposure to the managed care of patients. The site for this elective includes the Baylor Family Practice Center (for ambulatory care) and the TMC Family Inpatient Service (for inpatient care). Each student will be required to make a case presentation at the Inpatient Report Meeting during the elective on one of the inpatients that they are caring for. This presentation should address the medical issues, family/social issues, and treatment plan surrounding the hospitalization.
Procedures for Application
- The first step in the application process is to request Baylor application materials from Donna Moore in the Office of the Registrar. Let Ms. Moore know of your interest in a Family and Community Medicine elective and she will include our departmental application (which is additional to the Baylor application) so that all paperwork can be completed and returned at the same time.
Donna Moore-Visiting Elective Coordinator
Baylor College of Medicine
Office of the Registrar
One Baylor Plaza, Debakey Building, Room M-108
Houston, Texas 77030-3498
Phone: 713-798-3370
Fax: 713-798-7951
E-mail: donnak@bcm.edu - Send all completed materials along with the applicable fees to Donna Moore. Your application will not be processed unless the applicable fees accompany your application. Your application and fees must reach the Office of the Registrar three months in advance of the elective start date. The Office of the Registrar will notify us of your acceptance by Baylor College of Medicine.
- The Department of Family and Community Medicine will then review your supplemental departmental application and notify you of your acceptance by our department.
- After acceptance by our department, we will correspond directly with you regarding the specific elective(s) of interest.
- To be considered for an elective at Baylor of Medicine prospective students must:
- Be in their final year of medical school
- Meet the application requirements no later than three months before the requested start date of the elective
- Meet the prerequisites for each elective
- Be covered by malpractice insurance
- Have evidence of personal health coverage
- Show proof of immunizations/serologic confirmation
- Must see the most recent OSHA film on Occupational Exposure to Blood Borne Pathogens
- Note: No clinical core rotations or pre-clinical core courses may be taken by students from other schools.