Monday, June 19, 2006

Should US Med Students train abroad?

A recent NEJM podcast notes interest in US students travelling overseas to gain international experience. "In 2003, 1 in 5 US students participated in an international experience" the moderator states.

One of the students interviewed comments on their experience: "The most important question asked in Uganda was whether they had money to pay for medicine. If so, they were given medicine, if not, they weer sent home to die...It Taught me the importance of perspective in global health."

Given the recent spate of articles describing how the US healthcare market is 'stealing' nurses, physicians and other health care workers from developing countries I wonder whether this 'send student doctors back' phenomenon will help stem the tide by opening the minds of medical decision makers to international training.

I know that in the residency that I direct I have little ability to pay for residents to travel or train overseas. Do other payors feel they're getting their money's worth? Anyone up for a cost-benefit analysis of exchange training?

No comments:

Post a Comment