What is Responsible Electives?

Responsible Electives was created by Dundee Medical School to help suitably motivated students find an elective in a resource poor setting (currently Africa) where they learn lots, with a ‘proven’ host, who will also benefit from their presence. We believe such electives require a bit of management (for instance the level of supervision available) and also that there is scope to create a broader related fair trade movement. We are seeking students interested in joining this cause and in turn we are approaching elective funding bodies to identify bursaries.

An estimated 3000 senior medical students per year from the UK alone do so and most are very keen to achieve something positive. The initiative is being studied and evaluated by intercalating Global Health BMSc students and is an area we have been researching for some years.

We require more of students, who must prepare more thoroughly and raise funds for their host to ensure they benefit. Dundee Medical School also supports these units in providing electives more broadly and in other ways when able.

RE has long established partnerships with Nkhoma Hospital (Malawi) and St Francis Mission Hospital in Zambia along with other less formal links (Such as Billy Riordan Clinic at Cape Maclear – Mangochi). At present we are unfortunately only able to place our own students at these sites.