Traineeships and Internship abroad can be metaphorically described as an academic, intellectual, cultural, and emotional journey, which offers opportunities for international interaction and personal growth – enriching experiences, gaining knowledge, and developing skills and attitudes that benefit a student both professionally and personally. Individual sensitivity to a global health perspective is and will be a pivotal attitude for the doctor of the future.

In order to ensure the students and resident doctors get a holistic experience, UNIMIB has put in place a preparatory course covering all phases of mobility – before departure; during the course of the mobility to reduce the possible impact of high-stress situations; and finally monitored upon return, reflecting on the period spent abroad and the activities carried out there.

The learning objectives of the course are:

PRE-DEPARTURE PROGRAM CONTENT

During the pre-departure preparatory course, students are made aware that the Extra EU traineeship context in LMICs may trigger psychological distress and/or exacerbate pre-existing difficulties and fragility. They are informed that they can access the university psychological counselling service at any time to seek emotional and psychological assistance.

Students are offered individual therapy or counselling support to talk confidentially about any concerns that may be impacting on academic performance or mental health and wellbeing.

A debriefing is scheduled with students after returning to favor an optimal return to the original context, explore the major challenges faced and the strategies used to overcome them, consider emotionally impacting experiences and assist students in a cognitive reframing of these experiences to support their wellbeing and professional and personal growth.