Home   Student Electives   Preparing your Elective   Preparing for your Medical Elective - in a resource poor country

The later in your training the better. The greater the knowledge and experience base you have before you go, the more you will get out of your elective. You will be a greater help to those you are working with and are likely to be given responsibility. As a result of which, you are going to learn that much more. If possible it is best to go after your paediatrics and O&G attachments, otherwise much of the valuable experience may be lost on you, and you may become frustrated by how little you are able to contribute.

Certain times of year may be more suitable than others, depending on your destination, e.g. the monsoon season in Asia or the summer heat of equatorial Africa could make life difficult for you. Consider also the timing of local national holidays and other events. Seek local advice.
Make sure that the doctor(s) you hope to be working with are not going to be on holiday or out of the country while you are there! You need to plan the timing of your elective carefully and if your dates are set in stone, then choose somewhere appropriate for those dates.