Medical Student Exchange Program

At the regional/local level, exchange programs are managed by a Local Organizing Committee. Membership of this committee usually comes from one medical school. The Local Organizing Committee is coordinated by the Local Exchange Officer (LEO) who is responsible for the process of accepting and placing visiting guest students. A LEO also functions as a liaison between visiting students and doctors/lecturers who will guide them during the exchange program.

There are two types of Professional Exchange Programs offered, namely:

1. Pre-clinical, where guest students study or do internships in a pre-clinical department at a medical faculty or teaching hospital. For example: studying and doing internships in the pathology department of a medical school or a pathology laboratory in a teaching hospital;
2. Clinics, where guest students do internships in a clinical department (department) at a hospital or general practitioner/specialist practice.

The average length of the exchange program is 4 weeks, using the language of instruction in English or the language of the country of internship. For a list of countries offering the Professional Exchange Program and information on this, see here http://www.ifmsa.org/scope/ec.htm . Further information about the Professional Exchange Program is at http://www.ifmsa.org/scope/

Research Exchange Program
In the IFMSA organizational structure, the Research Exchange Program is held by a committee known as SCORE (Standing Committee on Research Exchange). SCORE is coordinated by a Director who is elected once a year. The main task of the SCORE Director is to oversee the work of the NORE for a full year. At the national level, the Research Exchange Program is managed by NORE (National Officer on Research Exchange). A NORE has the duties of publishing and updating the list of research projects (http://www.ifmsa.org/score/projects.html), signing research exchange program contracts with NORE from other countries, and receiving and selecting applications for registration. NORE also coordinates the work of LORE (Local Officer on Research Exchange). A LORE is appointed or elected by a local committee in a medical school. LORE is responsible for organizing, managing and promoting research exchange programs in its medical school.

SCORE provides medical students with a unique opportunity to undertake clinical and pre-clinical research in other countries. Students will join a research team and carry out research activities under the guidance of an expert tutor. During the program, students will be introduced to the basic principles of research, such as studying literature, collecting information, scientific writing, laboratory work, statistics and ethical aspects. At the end of the program, students are expected to write a short essay about their results and achievements.

Further information about the Research Exchange Program can be read at http://www.ifmsa.org/score/