ELECTIVE EXPERIENCES OF FOREIGN MEDICAL STUDENTS AT THE TEACHING HOSPITAL OF TRIBHUVAN UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE OF MEDICINE, NEPAL

Abstract

This paper has attempted to document and analyze the trend and experiences of foreign
medical students enrolled in the elective programme organized by the Medical
Education Department (MED) at the Teaching Hospital of the Tribhuvan University
(TUTH), Institute of Medicine in Kathmandu. Elective documents have been analyzed
for the period between 1997-2000 and a written questionnaire survey has been
administered to a total of 73 foreign medical students who completed elective in the
year 2000. Over a period of four years a total of 268 students had undergone elective
posting in various departments of TUTH. More than half of the students (55%) came
from European universities. More than 60% of respondents (n=73) considered the
opportunity to see variety of patients as the main strength of the elective programme.
Overwhelming majority of respondents (95%) rated the learning experience as good
or excellent. The most favoured department was the Internal Medicine. The study
demonstrates the unique value of elective in enriching student learning in medical
education. The traditional belief that all students should have a uniform curriculum
throughout their training has been largely challenged.
1
The insights gained could
perhaps, inspire medical schools to seriously think about introducing elective provision
as an essential component of their undergraduate curricula.
1. Medical Education Department, TU Institute of Medicine.
Address for correspondence : Dr. D. S. Pant, MD, MHPED,
Assistant Director & Elective Programme Coordinator,
Medical Education Department, TU Institute of Medicine,
P.O. Box: 1524, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Email: dspant@healthnet.org.np, Home Page: www.nchped.org.np
Key Words: Elective terms, overseas elective, elective experience in developing
countries, core and elective options, undergraduate medical elective.