Table 1 Existing guidelines relevant to international medical electives
Guideline | Region | Year | Text & Expert Opinion CAT score [14] | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
AFMC Global Health Resource Group: Preparing medical students for electives in low resource settings: a template for national guidelines for pre-departure training [45] | Canada | 2008 | 6 | Grey literature; 10 years old; Comprehensive but does not separate faculty & student recommendations & responsibilities. |
WEIGHT: Ethics and best practice guidelines for training experiences in global health [41] | International | 2010 | 6 | Very comprehensive; Expert working group; Not specifically aimed at medical student electives or program coordinators. |
General Medical Council: Clinical placements for medical students [80] | UK | 2011 | 6 | Grey literature; Generic document for all clinical placements. |
A guide to working abroad for medical students and junior doctors [70] | Australia | 2011 | 5 | Very broad and approachable document written by the lead doctors and students organisations of Australia. Uses many casestudies and largely focussed on humanitarian and service electives. |
Guidelines for safety of trainees rotating abroad: consensus recommendations from the Global Emergency Medicine Academy of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, Council of Emergency Medicine, Council of Emergency Medicine Residency Directors, and the Emergency Medicine Residents’ Association [81] | U.S.A. | 2013 | 6 | Comprehensive; Aimed at emergency medicine electives (students & residents); Emphasis on personal safety. |
AMEE Guide No. 88: Electives in undergraduate medical education [49] | UK | 2014 | 6 | Comprehensive review; Easily readable narrative & examples; Does not separate faculty & student recommendations. |
Australian Outbound Student Mobility: Quality dimensions for international fieldwork in health sciences [67] | Australia | 2015 | 5 | Grey literature; very broad-based - aimed at general higher-education audience; Many good-practice examples. |
WMA Statement on Ethical Considerations in Global Medical Electives [19] | International | 2016 | 5 | Grey literature; Short statement on key ethical issues. |
Preparing for International Health Experiences: a practical guide [82] | North America | 2017 | 5 | Commercially published book; Aimed at travelling healthcare workers; Not written specifically for program coordinators. |
Global Health: Preparation for Working in Resource-Limited Settings [20] | U.S.A. | 2017 | 5 | Comprehensive thematic approach; Not specifically aimed at program coordinators. |
Recommendations for undergraduate medical electives: a UK consensus statement [83] | U.K. | 2018 | 6 | Aimed at all types of electives, including local placements; Comprehensive, although little detail on health & safety risks. |
Working in global health: A planning and implementation framework for international electives [84] | Australia | 2018 | 5 | Written by two medical students and an academic supervisor; Provides a checklist of recommendations with an emphasis on social accountability. |