Tropical Medicine

Background

Sri Ramachandra Medical College and Research Institute, located in suburban Chennai, caters not only to the metropolitan Madras, but also serves as a primary health facility for several hundred villages in the vicinity. A significant number of this vast patient base seeks medical attention for diseases that are common and unique to the tropics. The faculty at SRMC has considerable expertise and experience in taking care of patients with problems unique to the tropics. This vast patient base and faculty expertise have been fused to structure an elective for foreign medical students and graduates who wish to gain an exposure to tropical medicine.

The following material is a brief description of a Tropical Medicine Elective that will be available in
Sri Ramachandra Medical College and Research Institute this summer.

Elective Description

The tropical medicine elective is primarily designed to cater the needs of students from foreign medical colleges who are interested in learning the specialized aspects of medical care in the tropics. Foreign medical graduates may also benefit from this elective.

Nature of Clerkship

The clerkship is constructed around a structured curriculum that consists of didactic sessions, small group discussions, dedicated patient contact time in inpatient wards, ambulatory clinics, specialty clinics and community center visits, laboratory time, other teaching aides and self study. The elective will concentrate on the tropical aspects of infectious diseases including parasitology, tropical aspects of medicine, surgery, pediatrics, nutrition, epidemiology and travel medicine.

Flexibility in the duration and structure can be made on request in special situations. Medical graduates may take a truncated course. Students who wish to do an elective in general medicine, surgery or pediatrics may integrate this elective into their primary elective.

Eligibility

Students must be enrolled in a recognized medical school. They must have completed at least one clinical rotation, (that provides them with proficiency in history and physical exam, generation of hypothesis and differential diagnosis) in order to be eligible to participate in the program. We prefer students in their final year of medical school. Fluency in English is desirable and strongly recommended.

Timing

For the year 1998 the elective is available in July, August and September commencing on the first of the calendar month. A shortened course is available for medical graduates. Students who wish to stay on and continue a clinical elective may do so. In other times of the year, a student may take a clinical elective under the preceptorship of one of the course directors subject to availability.

Applying

An application form is attached. Please print out the application form and complete it in its entirety and mail it to the Office of the dean, Sri Ramachandra Medical College and Research Institute, 1, Ramachandra Nagar, Porur, Madras 600116, India or fax it to 91-44-4827008. Incomplete applications will not be entertained. Students will be notified by mail, Email or fax, if they can be scheduled. It is important that the office of the dean is kept updated with a current mailing address. The deadline for receipt of applications for the 1998 electives is May 1 1998.

Policies

All clerkship students are subject to the same rules and regulations that apply to students of Sri Ramachandra Medical College and Research Institute. Students are expected to be familiar with these rules. A copy of these rules is available at the Dean’s office upon request. Violation of any of these rules will result in the immediate withdrawal of the student from the elective.

Evaluations

A letter of completion will be provided by the course director, upon completion of the clerkship. A composite evaluation of the student will be provided to the medical school if necessary.

Tuition

Tuition covers instruction, grade reports and library reading privileges only. It does not cover housing, food or health care costs. Tuition is due in full amount after you are notified of acceptance to the clerkship and must be received at least three weeks prior to the start of the elective. You must contact us if you intend to cancel your elective. The tuition is $500 and must be paid by check or demand draft drawn in favor of Sri Ramachandra Medical College and Research Institute. This includes a $50 processing fee. Candidates who wish to take an extended elective will incur additional charges based on the duration of extension. They will notified of the charges upon receipt of applications.

Refunds

All refund requests must be received at least two weeks prior to the start of the course. 90% of the course fee will be refunded. The processing fee will not be refunded. We cannot refund tuition fees if refund request reach us any later than 2 weeks prior to the commencement of the course.

Accommodation

In campus accommodation is available in the hostel and at the Annexe guest house at reasonable prices. If you would like us to help arrange for accommodation please indicate in the application form in the space provided.

Application for Elective in Tropical Medicine

Complete in English only. Please print or type

Section I (To be completed by everyone. Please do not leave any entry blank. If it is not applicable to you type N/A)

Name

Sex:

Nationality:

Complete Mailing Address:

Telephone Number:

Fax Number:

E Mail:

Date of Birth:

Emergency contact Name:

Phone number:

Medical School and address:

Expected Degree and Date (or degree and date of graduation for medical graduates):

What month would you prefer to do your elective ( A multidisciplinary structured elective is available only in July August and September for the year 1998- Please indicate first and second choices):

If you cannot take the regular course what month of the year would you like to take the clinical elective (July- September is not available; Indicate first and second choices)? :

Are you planning to take another elective in SRMC simultaneously? If yes what? (Other electives must be scheduled independently with the dean’s office):

Are you planning to stay on in a clinical elective? If yes how many more weeks?:

If you are a medical graduate would you like to take the shortened course or the regular course? :

Do you require in-campus housing?: If yes what are your preferences (Please circle one)
a) Single room with shared bath b) single room with bath c) family suite

Section II: Health and immunization (To be completed by everyone)

TB skin test (PPD) status (please indicate dates) (if positive chest x-ray report required):

Immunization status (Indicate dates):

Tetanus /diphteria (Primary series + Td booster within the last 10 years)

MMR (or positive serology):

Hepatitis B (Series of three doses):

Have you had chicken pox? (if no please obtain a varicella antibody titer. If you are titer negative please take the chicken pox vaccine – 2 doses 4 –8 weeks apart):

Signature of the student:

Section III To be completed by the Registrar or dean’s office of Student’s medical School (Medical graduates proceed to section IV)

Please fill in the appropriate responses

Standard length of time to complete program years

Student’s year of medical school:

Is the student is approved to do electives away from home school:

Is the student in good standing:

Is the student fluent in English?:

Is a written evaluation required (if yes please enclose appropriate evaluation forms):

Authorized by:

Title

Please sign date and provide appropriate seal

Section IV For Medical Graduates only

Are you fluent in English? :

What is your specialty? :

Are you enrolled in a formal postgraduate training program? If yes give details:

Will this elective count towards credits in your training program (If yes please attach a letter of verification and approval from your program director):

 MEDLINK is Ramachandra's own journal soon to be published both in print and simultaneously in the web. Watch this space!!!