exchanges
EXCHANGE THE WORLD Your turn! A step-by-step guide Text: Felice Hess | University of Bern Cédric Follonier | University of Geneva Edit: Nadja Morello | Vice-President for Exchanges Until 2019, more than 15’000 medical students from more than 90 countries each year used to embark on a journey to explore health care delivery and health systems in different cultural and social settings. After the worldwide pandemic, we strive to make this possible again. The aim of the exchange program is to help future health care professionals develop cultural sensitivity and skills in research intent on shaping the world of science in the future.
Research exchange offers students the oppor tunity to get a glimpse into the world of research and deepen their knowledge in the specific area of their research interest. All of this while colla borating with a team in a laboratory or clinical research project abroad. Swiss medical or biome dical students can apply for it starting from their first year of studies. What it costs and what is included in an exchange There are two types of exchanges, bilateral and unilateral, for which the costs are different. The bilateral exchange works both ways, a Swiss stu dent has the opportunity to go to another coun try and this country gets the opportunity to send a student to Switzerland. In unilateral exchanges, a Swiss student goes on exchange without swim sa Exchanges receiving a student in return.
The Swiss Medical Students’ Association is part of the exchange programs of the International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations (IFMSA): SCOPE, the Standing Committee for Pro fessional Exchanges and SCORE, the Standing Committee on Research Exchange. Both types of exchange last for four weeks and the participants are offered a spot in a department or a research project in their hosting country as well as accom modation and a social program organized by lo Participating in the exchange program costs 560 cal medical students. CHF for a bilateral exchange and 350 CHF for a unilateral exchange with an additional coun Professional exchange is an educational pro try-specific fee, to be paid to the hosting country. gram offering clerkships abroad to future physi cians. It gives Swiss medical students the possibi Choosing a country within Europe, green lity to work within a different cultural setting and means of travel and getting active yourself will at the same time practice the skills learned on be rewarded! the benches of their university. They can apply for it starting from their second year and finally A partial refund can be received if a report is wri go abroad after they finish their 3rd year. tten at the end of the internship, for volunteering in the swimsa Exchanges program or by trave lling to the exchange by bus or train.
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