Electives in war zone!!

**shussain83** · 05-11-2007, 02:24 AM

Hi guys,

i am looking to do my electives next year.

This will sound a bit insane, but i was thinking of doing my electives in Palestine or Chechnya...Obviously the political situation in these countries in very unstable at this moment.

would this be allowed by the medical school...has anyone had their electives in any of these countries..

any feedback wud be great..thanks

**heed** · 05-11-2007, 08:18 PM

im sure that many medical schools simply would not allow you to go to a an active conflict zone, but you would need to check. certainly my medical school had a "black list" until a couple of years ago of places they quite simply would not let you go - i suppose they couldnt prevent you going, but they wouldnt accept your elective.

the other thing to think about is something the MDU say in their elective handbook - going to these conflict areas you may be more of a burden than a help. you would be a security nightmare in somewhere like chechnya - not only may you yourself become a target, but by extension anywhere you were working as a foreigner may become a target. the safest way to go to somewhere like that would be to go with a major NGO like the red cross - but I know from working with the RedX that many if not all NGOs will not accept students, as in order to be of any use in an area like palestine or chechnya you would need to be able to operate independently as a medic - and not hog the doctors already limited time and resources in order that you get teaching.

if i were you, i would wait till i was qualified and then go to work with MSF or the Red Cross (as i intend to do). You will probably be able to give (and get more) that way.

hope that helps

**kofi** · 05-11-2007, 08:26 PM

it looks like you have got a deathwish? do not work in any conflict zones if you value your life

**Pammy** · 06-11-2007, 05:40 AM

I agree that Chechnya would be insane, and that you would actually create more problems than solve. You wouldn't even be able to get insurance, most likely. Who's going to get you out if you get kidnapped?! Plus, I would actually think this through carefully...I've just come back from Africa and was unlucky enough to be robbed at gunpoint, tied up and left locked in the bathroom - was only rescued by chance and could have lost an arm! And this was in a relatively stable country (definitely no war zone). When you're in such a situation, suddenly you wish you'd stayed at home...It all sounds very exciting, until something actually happens. I also think there's an ethical issue here..."war tourism" I think is the official term.
If you want to work in humanitarian assistance later, I'd start slowly, by going to a comparatively safe developing country and familiarising yourself with the disease spectrum there, gaining expertise, doing a relevant Masters later, learning languages etc.
Language skills are a big issue - do you speak Russian or Arabic and if no, how were you going to communicate with terrorised patients who need as much psychological assistance as physical help?
That said, I've travelled to Palestine (only West Bank, not Gaza, and at quieter times...) and Ramallah has a university that runs a foreign student visiting programme. I've forgotten the name of the university right now!
Pammy

**Dr Noodle** · 06-11-2007, 06:28 AM

Have to agree with Heed, you're only of use as a qualified doctor. Don't waste the doctors' time out there by going out as a med student. Outta curiosity, why do you want to go to a warzone anyway?

**kofi** · 06-11-2007, 08:19 PM

Originally Posted by Pammy

I agree that Chechnya would be insane, and that you would actually create more problems than solve. You wouldn't even be able to get insurance, most likely. Who's going to get you out if you get kidnapped?! Plus, I would actually think this through carefully...I've just come back from Africa and was unlucky enough to be robbed at gunpoint, tied up and left locked in the bathroom - was only rescued by chance and could have lost an arm! And this was in a relatively stable country (definitely no war zone).

out of interest which african country were you in?

**NV05** · 06-11-2007, 08:44 PM

Aren't NHS hospitals areas of conflict anyway?

**heed** · 06-11-2007, 09:37 PM

ah yes - theres been many a time i have seen the Car-Park charging manager shot at dawn on the helipad.....

**Dr Noodle** · 06-11-2007, 11:46 PM

Ha ye got attacked by the psychiatric patient I was specialing today (she's damn strong) and then wound up hugging her and trying to console her when she couldn't stop crying afterwards.

**Pammy** · 07-11-2007, 02:18 AM

Originally Posted by kofi

out of interest which african country were you in?

Mozambique...Lots of organised crime spilling over from SA...Met a disturbingly large number of people who've had guns pointed at them in the street! Ironically if someone "just" threatened me in the street now I probably wouldn't be half as worried as it's very unlikely that they'll harm you in public. The real problem is that frequently the guards of the houses/flats are being bribed (which is not surprising since their jobs are abysmally paid and about the most boring thing you can do in the world!).

To the first poster:
Perhaps consider going to a country that's recently emerged from conflict but which is generally (with caution) all right to visit now? E.g. Sierra Leone, Rwanda, Angola (need Portuguese for that), perhaps Liberia (still quite dodgy)...or outside Africa, Burma, East Timor (also still quite dodgy), Colombia (I've been there and it's fine if you take the general precautions and are generally quite streetwise...though I have not been to the conflict zones! Colombia has quite good research on malaria and dengue.).
Good luck...
Pammy