A key component of our global engagement is global medical education, which provides students and faculty with immersive learning experiences in international settings. At WMed, this includes establishing strategic partnerships with institutions such as the University of Minho and the University of Évora in Portugal, as well as Seoul National University in South Korea. These collaborations enhance our academic programs, research opportunities, and clinical experiences by facilitating exchanges of knowledge, faculty, and students. Through structured study abroad programs, visiting faculty lectures, and cross-border research initiatives, we encourage medical students to develop a deeper understanding of healthcare disparities, medical ethics, and best practices from around the world. These opportunities allow participants to gain firsthand experience in diverse healthcare environments, enriching their education and shaping them into well-rounded, culturally competent physicians.
Additionally, WMed is committed to advancing global health programming, focusing on health equity, policy development, and sustainable medical practices in underserved regions. Our global health initiatives connect students and faculty with global partners and international projects that address pressing health challenges, such as infectious disease management, maternal and child health, and mental health disparities. By engaging in these efforts, and by emphasizing ethical engagement and long-term collaboration, WMed strengthens its role as a leader in medical education and contributes to building healthier communities worldwide.
Through global engagement, WMed reinforces its dedication to excellence in medical education, research, and healthcare delivery. By fostering international collaborations and integrating a global perspective into our training programs, we empower future physicians with the knowledge, skills, and cultural awareness needed to address the evolving challenges of modern medicine.
We invite students, faculty, and partners to join us in this mission, shaping a more connected and health-focused world together.
Global Engagement Electives
- Liberia Elective: Global Health Rotation in Low-Resource Setting
The rotation provides exposure to surgery, internal medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, and emergency medicine in a resource-limited environment. Participants will encounter diseases unique to the region and advanced presentations of familiar conditions due to limited access to early medical care.
Clinical Sites
This clinical rotation offers participants a unique opportunity to experience healthcare delivery in Liberia, West Africa, one of the world's poorest countries, still rebuilding its medical infrastructure after a prolonged civil war.
This rotation offers a transformative experience for healthcare providers at all levels, combining clinical care, education, and the chance to make a meaningful impact in a low-resource setting.
Program Highlights
- Clinical Practice: Work alongside local medical teams, adapting to limited resources while providing critical care.
- Educational Impact: Teach and train local healthcare providers, fostering skill-building and knowledge exchange.
- Research Potential: Collaborate on short-term research projects that address healthcare challenges in Liberia.
- Long-term Collaboration: Support WMed's efforts to establish a reciprocal relationship with Liberian colleagues, aimed at sustainable improvements in healthcare competence and capacity.
Team CompositionAnyone may participate; any duration up to four weeks. Residents are eligible for ACGME credit toward graduation
Program Costs
- Airfare, visa, and immunizations: $1,700–$2,500
- In-country expenses (housing, food, and transportation): $500 per week
- Peru-Amazon Rainforest Elective: Global Health and Tropical Medicine Rotation
Established in 2016, this four-week clinical rotation in the Peruvian Amazon provides participants with hands-on experience in global health, international medicine, and the treatment of tropical diseases in resource-limited settings. Conducted in collaboration with Amazon Promise, a U.S.-based nonprofit with a long-standing presence in the Amazon, this rotation offers a unique opportunity to serve remote communities in a challenging yet breathtaking environment.
This elective provides a rare chance to make a tangible impact in underserved communities while developing clinical skills in tropical and global medicine. Participants will gain invaluable insights into delivering healthcare in resource-limited settings.
Clinical Sites
Participants will work in remote villages along the Amazon River basin, providing primary, urgent, and emergency care. The program includes partnerships with regional hospitals, clinics, and research labs in Iquitos, Peru.
Program Highlights
- Pre-departure Orientation (Days 1–4): In-person preparation in Kalamazoo, Michigan, with lectures on Peruvian healthcare, Amazonian diseases, and cultural considerations. Participants will also engage in clinical scenario simulations and prepare medical supplies for transport.
- Online Preparatory Curriculum (Days 5–9): Participants complete an online course covering Amazon-specific healthcare topics. Those who finish early may travel to Peru ahead of the program to acclimate and explore cultural sites independently.
- Iquitos Orientation (Days 10–13): The team gathers in Iquitos for hospital tours, community orientation, and final preparations. Highlights include a welcome lunch with the American and Peruvian teams and, if available, a visit to the U.S. Naval Infectious Diseases Research Lab.
- Jungle Rotation (Days 14–26): Participants travel to a jungle lodge, their base for daily boat trips to remote villages. Activities include providing patient care, maintaining medical records, and contributing to a national clinical database.
- Typical days run from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (or longer), with evening debriefings.
- Teams will see between 1,000 and 2,500 patients during the rotation.
- Cultural immersion includes days off to explore the Amazon and learn about local traditions.
- Program Conclusion (Days 26–28): The team returns to Iquitos, where final clinics and debriefings occur, followed by a farewell celebration. Urgent cases requiring hospital care will be escorted by team members to local hospitals.
- Post-trip Presentation: Participants present their experiences at Global Health Grand Rounds or departmental meetings.
Team Composition- 2–10 residents
- 2–10 medical students (students cannot outnumber residents)
- 1–5 attending physicians (including WMed and Peruvian faculty)
- Optional: Dentists, veterinarians, traditional healers, medicinal plant experts, and non-medical volunteers
Program Costs- Estimated total: $2,800–$3,000
- Philippines Elective: Global Health and Tropical Medicine Rotation
Established in 2023, the Philippine Elective is an annual four-week immersive rotation in global health, international medicine, and tropical diseases, focusing on care in resource-limited settings. This experience includes clinical rotations in urban and rural areas of the Philippines, offering participants the opportunity to engage with diverse patient populations and healthcare systems.
This elective offers a unique opportunity to deepen your understanding of global health while making a meaningful impact in underserved communities.
Clinical Sites
- Manila, Philippines:
- San Juan Community Clinics
- University of the East Hospital (Charity Ward & Outpatient Clinics)
- Potential additional sites: San Lazaro Hospital (specializing in communicable diseases) and Philippine Children’s Medical Center
- Palawan Island, Philippines (Quezon):
- Rural health clinics serving remote barangays
Program Highlights- Pre-departure Orientation (Days 1–3): In-person preparation in Kalamazoo, Michigan, with lectures on Filipino healthcare and common diseases, plus logistical planning and medical supply preparation.
- Manila Rotation (Days 7–12): Participants work in urban clinics and hospitals under supervision from WMed and local Philippine faculty. Clinical activities include outpatient and charity ward care, with daily debriefings.
- Palawan Rotation (Days 13–25): Participants travel to rural Quezon, engaging in community-based healthcare in three barangays. Days involve patient care alongside local health officers, with patient volumes reaching up to 120 per day. Limited internet access ensures full immersion.
- Cultural Engagement: Opportunities to explore local neighborhoods, learn about the community, and visit cultural and medical landmarks, such as the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (availability permitting).
- Post-trip Presentation: Participants present their experiences at Global Health Grand Rounds or departmental meetings upon returning.
Team Composition- Eight medical students and residents
- 1–2 WMed or community faculty physicians
- 1–2 local Philippine attending physicians
- 8–10 clinical staff (Palawan rotation)
- Optional: Up to three non-medical volunteers (Palawan rotation)
Program Costs- Estimated total: $2,500–$3,000
- Manila, Philippines:
- Portugal - University of Minho: Academic Study Program and Elective Clinical Rotation
The elective clinical rotation at the University of Minho offers medical students the opportunity to study and engage in clinical practice within an international academic and healthcare setting. Hosted by the School of Medicine at the University of Minho and its affiliated hospital, Hospital de Braga, this program immerses students in the Portuguese healthcare system while introducing them to medical education and patient care approaches in a European context.
This elective is particularly well-suited for students interested in gaining experience in a university hospital environment and comparing healthcare delivery systems across borders. Braga, located in northern Portugal, offers a safe, student-friendly city with a rich history, walkable downtown, and easy access to cultural and historical sites.
Program Highlights
- Academic integration at the University of Minho, with the opportunity to attend lectures, seminars, and medical education sessions.
- Clinical observation and rotation experience at Hospital de Braga, a modern university-affiliated teaching hospital.
- Exposure to European medical practice standards, patient care models, and hospital operations.
- Opportunities to interact with Portuguese medical students and faculty.
- Optional Portuguese language and cultural orientation to support student immersion.
Rotation DurationTwo to four weeks, typically scheduled based on the University of Minho’s academic calendar and department availability.
Eligibility- Open to senior medical students (M3 or M4) in good academic standing.
- Clinical rotation assignments are determined in collaboration with WMed faculty and the University of Minho’s clinical departments.
- Participants must be flexible and adaptable to language differences and varying clinical workflows.
Estimated CostsExact costs may vary depending on travel arrangements and personal preferences.
- Air travel to/from Portugal: $700–$1,200
- Housing in Braga: $150/week (single apartment living)
- Local transportation: $20/week (Braga is largely walkable; public transportation is affordable)
- Meals: $150–$200/week (campus cafeterias and local restaurants)
- Travel health requirements: Routine immunizations recommended; no additional vaccines required.
- Personal travel or sightseeing (optional): Varies based on interest
Post-Rotation ExpectationsParticipants are encouraged to reflect on their international clinical experience and may be invited to present at Global Health Grand Rounds, departmental meetings, or student forums to share insights gained abroad.
Contact and Coordination
Students must coordinate with WMed’s Office of Global Education to arrange participation. The program is designed to be reciprocal, with ongoing efforts to support strategic partnerships and future collaborative opportunities between WMed and the University of Minho.
- South Korea - Seoul National University School of Medicine: Academic Study Program and Elective Clinical Rotation
This elective program offers medical students the opportunity to engage in an international clinical observation and study experience at Seoul National University (SNU) School of Medicine, one of the most prestigious medical institutions in Asia and globally. This elective clinical rotation includes structured clinical site visits and observational rotations at Seoul National University Hospital (SNUH), a leading teaching hospital known for cutting-edge research, state-of-the-art facilities, and high-quality patient care. Participants will gain exposure to the South Korean healthcare system, observe clinical practices at SNU Hospital, and attend lectures and seminars alongside SNU medical students. The program is designed to provide insights into medical education and patient care approaches in a leading Asian medical institution.
Program Highlights
- Academic integration at SNU School of Medicine, including attendance at lectures, seminars, and medical education sessions.
- Clinical observation opportunities at SNU Hospital, a top-tier teaching hospital affiliated with SNU.
- Exposure to South Korean medical practice standards, patient care models, and hospital operations.
- Interaction with SNU medical students and faculty, fostering cross-cultural academic exchange.
- Optional Korean language and cultural orientation and courses to support student immersion.
Rotation DurationTwo to eight weeks, typically scheduled based on SNU’s academic calendar and department availability.
Eligibility- Open to senior medical students (M3 or M4) in good academic standing.
- Clinical rotation assignments are determined in collaboration with WMed faculty and SNU’s clinical departments.
- Participants should be adaptable to language differences and varying clinical workflows.
Estimated CostsExact costs may vary depending on travel arrangements and personal preferences.
- Air travel to/from Seoul: $800–$1,500
- Housing in Seoul: $200–$500/week (student housing or short-term rental)
- Local transportation: $20–$50/week (Seoul has an extensive and affordable public transportation system)
- Meals: $150–$250/week (campus cafeterias and local restaurants)
- Travel health requirements: Routine immunizations recommended; no additional vaccines required.
- Personal travel or sightseeing (optional): Varies based on interest
Post-Rotation ExpectationsParticipants are encouraged to reflect on their international clinical experience and may be invited to present at Global Health Grand Rounds, departmental meetings, or student forums to share insights gained abroad.
Contact and Coordination
Students must coordinate with WMed’s Office of Global Education to arrange participation. The program is designed to be reciprocal, with ongoing efforts to support strategic partnerships and future collaborative opportunities between WMed and SNU School of Medicine.