This program provides the best opportunity to gain a large amount of varied clinical shadowing in a short amount of time.
Our unique mentoring system lets you experience a range of clinical settings to get the best learning opportunities from specific cases that present and procedures happening on a given day. Settings you may experience include Emergency Room, Trauma/Orthopedics, OBGYN, Maternity, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Neonatal and ICU.
In the OR (observed from a separate viewing room or behind screens during the COVID-19 pandemic) common procedures include orthopedic surgeries such as femur and tibia fractures, tumor removals and gastrointestinal operations. Students placed in our specialist trauma hospital may also get to see advanced maxillofacial and neurological surgeries.
Most students get to spend some time in the Emergency Department, where you’ll see a wide range of cases and how these are triaged, stabilized and referred through to other sections of the hospital.
In Maternity, there’s a good chance of being invited to see a natural delivery, as well as experiencing the antenatal and postnatal functions of the hospital, and the neonatal ICU. Caesarean sections are relatively common, and consent is often given for students to attend.
All our programs are compliant with AAMC guidelines on student shadowing. You will be directly supervised by a specific medical doctor at all times in the hospital and there is no physical contact between students and patients.
Guiding you through your hospital experience is your mentor – an accredited medical doctor who is your supervisor, and through whose eyes you will gain a very personal insight into a career in clinical healthcare.
Whether you’re joining us as an aspiring doctor, physician assistant, nurse or midwife, you’ll be mentored by an MD as we’ve found this provides the best access to the work of the whole clinical team in the context of a Dominican hospital. However, your mentor will be aware of your career ambitions and tailor the experience towards that profession.
The relationship you build with your mentor is an important basis of the learning experience, and all of our doctors are chosen because of their passion for helping develop the next generation of health professionals. That relationship also enables your mentor to write a personal letter of recommendation for future school applications that honestly reflects their observation of your approach and aptitude.
On your first day, you’ll have a familiarisation session with your mentor, to discuss your own personal learning objectives and how the placement can help you meet them.
Doctors have to apply to become Global Pre-Meds mentors and be approved by both the hospital and our own Operations Team. Once approved, your mentoring doctor is paid directly from your program fee to ensure the highest standards of supervision.
Our program is a fully residential experience, designed for you to absorb as much of the culture as possible during your two weeks. At the heart of this is our beautiful Global Pre-Meds guesthouse.
We own and operate the house with 24/7 support from our local staff team. Our team is responsible for all housekeeping and maintaining the environment. We also hire our own people for security who will control all access to the property. Our in-house chef will prepare delicious and locally-sourced meals for you to enjoy.
You and your peers will share comfortable, single-sex bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms and showers, as well as an open kitchen and large, indoor/outdoor living spaces. This is a social experience as well as a learning one, and we want you to to get to know your peers and enjoy your leisure time. We have worked hard to create a space that will serve as your sanctuary during your program.
A portion of your program fee goes towards paying the mentoring doctors and hospitals, which benefits them and encourages a better learning experience.
The hospitals are able to purchase better equipment, while the doctors can focus on providing better patient care rather than looking for extra work to supply their income. This helps increase access to healthcare for the local community.
We also offer weekly volunteer opportunities for you to engage with when you’re not at the hospital. We partner with local organizations for beach cleanups or visits to help out at orphanages in the area. On our program you will not only gain skills to further your career, but you will also give something back.
The hospitality and service we provide is what makes our program unique among doctor shadowing programs.
Our Global Pre-Meds staff is there to support you at all times. From the moment you begin your application, we are here to guide you, answer all your questions and make the process as smooth as possible.
We have handpicked our local staff team and your mentoring doctors to take care of all of your needs and make sure you’re safe and comfortable while you’re on the program. As soon as you land in country, we take care of everything.