2017 Programs Pre-Departure FAQs

Transcription

1 2017 Programs Pre-Departure FAQs Section One: Program Housing Where is my housing? o The housing name and address will be provided by prior to your departure in a site-specific document. Your housing address may not be finalized until a few weeks before departure. What kind of housing am I staying in? o Your housing will either be a hotel, university residence, or apartment. Will I be staying with the other members of my program? o Yes, Fellows will live in the same place and will room together. Is my housing safe? Is there security? o Our student housing is chosen with safety in mind. Generally there is some sort of building or property security, for instance at all hotels there is a front desk receptionist watching the entry to the building. And there is always normal room security for all Fellows (a room with a physical or digital key). Can I request a single room? o We cannot accommodate requests for single rooms unless there is a specific medical reason for this. Can I choose my roommate? Will they be the same gender? o If you know someone you would like to room with ahead of time, reach out to an admissions coordinator or your site coordinator. We cannot guarantee roommate requests will be met. Your roommate will always be the same gender. If you have special gender-specific concerns, please contact us before you depart. Is there wifi? o There will be wifi in your housing unit, but the bandwidth is usually not as good as normally in the USA. In some housing units, Skype calls may be difficult. However,

2 there should be a local cafe within walking distance with excellent wifi if your housing wifi does not support Skype. How far is my housing from the hospital? The airport? o The housing location varies, but it will rarely be more than a 15 minute public transport ride to the hospital. Transportation to the hospital from the housing will be provided by the AP. The distance to the airport varies as well. Is housing included in the program fee? o Yes, all housing accommodations for your program dates are included in the program fee, unless you decide to travel somewhere and spend a night elsewhere. If I arrive early or depart late from my program, can I stay at the AP housing? If so, will there be an additional fee? Will I have to book my own room, or will you book it for me, even if it is an additional fee? o the end date. This also does not include the night of the end date. Housing will not be provided or available for nights prior to the start date or after Are there exercise facilities close by? o There is usually some exercise facility close to your housing, or in rare cases, in the housing complex itself. Students can ask their site coordinator for details, or simply use Google Maps to search for facilities close to the housing address. Is it safe to go on runs around the housing? Where are the bad parts of town, and are they close to the housing? o Your site coordinator should have some more specific information about the areas of town that should be avoided. In addition, we generally recommend trying to avoid being alone, so try to find another Fellow to run with! Is there a grocery store nearby? o There is always a grocery or convenience store within walking or easy public transport distance of your housing. Will there be a full kitchen with cooking utensils available for use? o It is rare for a full kitchen to be available in the housing units. In most housing units there is either a partial kitchen or none at all (in a hotel, for instance, there is usually no kitchen available). Will there be a refrigerator? o If you need a refrigerator for medical reasons, we should be able to make sure that you have access to a refrigerator. Otherwise, availability of a refrigerator depends on your site. In most cases there will be a refrigerator. Will I have to share a bathroom? o Yes, in most cases you will share a bathroom with one roommate. Are there laundry facilities? How much do they cost? Where are they? o There will either be laundry facilities in the housing or very close to the housing. Washing and drying a full load usually costs between $3-$5 USD depending on location. Can my family or friends come visit me and stay overnight at the housing? o No, for liability reasons we cannot allow anyone other than Fellows into your room. If your friends or family would like to book a room in the same hotel, for instance, that is entirely up to them. Can I bring alcohol into the housing? Can I smoke in the housing?

3 o You cannot smoke or drink alcohol in the housing. If you violate this policy you will be removed from your Atlantis Project program and must leave the housing. Section Two: Hospital Do the doctors speak English? o Our partner doctors usually speak some English, but their level of English varies from very basic to fluent. You should not expect to always have full communication with your doctor. What happens if my doctor doesn t speak much English? o You will be able to learn while shadowing even with a language barrier. But you must be patient and pay attention in this case to non-verbal actions. Watch how the doctor interacts with patients. Observe how he organizes his day. Take notes on how much time he devotes to certain cases and not others. Etc. Who will I be shadowing? o You will be shadowing doctors in different specialties, and will usually rotate on a weekly basis. When will I know who I will be shadowing? o We will let you know the departments you will be shadowing once you are on the ground in your site. It is difficult for us to tell you ahead of time, because opportunities in the hospital and doctor availability vary week-to-week. Can I shadow a specific specialty I am really interested in? o Not always. We take your preferences into account, but your schedule depends entirely on the availability of the doctors and the hospital as to which specialties will be available for shadowing. How many people will be shadowing with me? o You will usually shadow in pairs (with one other Fellow), but occasionally you will shadow alone, and even less often with more than one other Fellow (for example, this is occasionally the case when viewing a surgery). How big is the hospital? o The hospitals vary in size from beds. Is there a neurosurgery/cardiothoracic surgery department that I can shadow? o Not always. Some hospitals will not have this specialty available. Will lunch be provided at the hospital? o Lunch is usually not provided, but there is usually a cheap place either in or near the hospital where you can have a quick bite to eat. Will there be research opportunities within the hospital? o Research opportunities are rarely, if ever organized by the AP. Past Fellows have had the opportunity to assist with research, but it has been largely through their proactivity in finding such opportunities. Can I shadow anyone other than a physician? (Nurses, PA s, occupational therapists, physical therapists, etc.) o You will only be shadowing physicians, but you will interact with other hospital staff. Keep in mind that not all of these positions exist in different healthcare systems, but shadowing a physician can still be a rich educational experience for students not interested in becoming physicians themselves.

4 Can I change where I m shadowing before my rotation is over? o No. You must remain in your assigned department until the conclusion of your shadowing rotation. Do I need a laptop in the hospital? o No, and in fact we generally discourage bringing electronics to the hospital other than your phone. You should always bring a pen and small notepad. Do I need scrubs? o No. If you need scrubs, we will provide them for you. Do I need a lab coat? o Yes. You will need to bring your own plain white lab coat (embroidered name is fine), and the length of the coat (waist or longer) does not matter. In the contract it says Fellows may need to be proactive about and finding additional opportunities during slow periods ; what does this mean, and how do I do this? o In general, you will be busy shadowing in the hospital. However, sometimes doctors do have work to catch up on, such as paperwork, that is not the most entertaining to watch. In these situations, it may be possible for you to reach out to other doctors or hospital staff to see what other opportunities there may be. We encourage doing so in a respectful manner, and only if the doctor that you are shadowing says that this is ok. Can I get a letter of recommendation from the hospital staff, doctors, or the site coordinator? How do I get this letter? o Getting a letter of recommendation is rare. But at the end of your program, if you have built a very good relationship with some doctor or staff member this may be possible. You should always ask very respectfully, taking into account any language barriers. We cannot guarantee that any person will be able to write you a letter of recommendation. Do I need to speak the native language while in the hospital to understand? o No, and many of the other employees and people you will meet abroad will have a basic understanding of English, even if they are not associate with the AP. It is, of course, beneficial to learn some basics of the native language in case of emergency. Is the hospital safe? o No hospital is completely safe. But you will take all necessary precautions in the hospital to prevent normal safety hazards. In addition, we expect you as an adult to use common sense in your actions (e.g., do not leave the hospital in the middle of your shadowing period without telling anyone). Section Three: Volunteering Will I have the opportunity to volunteer while I am abroad? o You will likely have the opportunity to do some volunteering while abroad, either through English tutoring or providing a helping hand around the hospital. How do I go about obtaining this opportunity? o Although it will require you to be proactive, the AP will try to assist with coordinating and organizing some of the volunteer opportunities. It is always better to ask than to wait around if you are interested in something like this. How many hours will be spent volunteering per day? Per week?

5 o For Fellows who want to volunteer, you should be able to volunteer on average 3-5 hours per week. Will I be able to teach English while I am abroad? How? o English tutoring is a common method of volunteering through the AP, and we will help to coordinate and organize this opportunity. Usually the tutoring sessions are informal. Who will I be teaching English to? Is there a curriculum? o There is no specific curriculum for English tutoring, as it will be more conversational than structured. Tutoring is usually for hospital employees and staff. Are there other opportunities to volunteer outside of English tutoring? What are they? o Other volunteering opportunities may exist, such as providing a helping hand around the hospital, or working with children, but interested students should be proactive about finding these opportunities once on site. Will other volunteer opportunities be set up and organized by the AP? o Not always. Out site staff work hard to find different volunteer opportunities, but often it will require you being proactive. Can I do research while I am abroad? Will this be organized by the AP? o The AP does not organize research activities. Past Fellows have had the opportunity to assist with research, but it has been largely through their own initiative in finding such opportunities. Are the volunteer opportunities required or are they optional? o All volunteer opportunities are optional. Are the volunteer opportunities safe? o No volunteer activity is perfectly safe. But in general our volunteer opportunities meet normal safety standards and take place within the hospital environment. You should always use common sense. Section Four: Excursions What excursions will I be doing? o Excursions vary by site, but usually involve city tours, visits to historical attractions near your site, hikes or other natural excursions, or other things of this nature. Your site coordinator will tell you more about your specific excursions close to departure. What do I need to pack in order to be prepared for these excursions? o Bring clothes generally appropriate for light physical activity (shorts, t-shirts, sweatshirts, hiking boots, bathing suits, flip flops, towel, water bottle, sunglasses). It also helps if you have a small backpack (like a string bag) to keep some of these things in. Will there be an itinerary of the excursions so that I can plan accordingly? o You should receive a sample program itinerary before your departure, but we will not plan any excursions for which you will need highly specific clothing. Are the excursions safe? o No excursion is perfectly safe. But we do consider safety when planning excursions and our site coordinators are well trained in managing safety on these excursions. Practice common sense (for instance, watch your footing on hikes, and hydrate during long outings). Sunscreen is always a good idea!

6 When will I know what excursions I am doing? o You should receive a sample program itinerary before your departure, but we will not plan any excursions for which you will need highly specific clothing. Are the excursions optional? o Excursions are optional, but we strongly recommend taking advantage of the opportunities provided through the excursions. Usually all of the costs included in excursions will be covered through your program fee, and these are often some of the most fun days of the program. And they are great opportunities for photos! Are there any associated fees with the excursions? E.g., transportation, food, etc. o The main costs associated with excursions will be covered by the AP through your program fee, unless you want additional food, drinks, or souvenirs. Who will be going on the excursions? o The site coordinators will lead your excursions, sometimes a tour guide, the other Fellows in your group. Can I shadow instead of doing the excursions? o No, you cannot. We have arranged with the hospital that you will shadow for four days per week (except for MCAT programs, which will be three days). If I am doing the MCAT program, when will my excursion be? o The MCAT program has a special schedule and only three days of shadowing along with two days of MCAT prep. Excursions will usually be held on Sundays. Has there ever been a major accident or safety concern during an excursion? o There are always safety concerns on excursions, but the AP has not yet in the history of our programs had a major safety incident. However, we cannot guarantee your safety. If you do not feel safe participating in an excursion for some reason, you should decline that excursion. Do not take unnecessary risks. Do I have to be athletic or otherwise in shape in order to do the excursions? o Some excursions will require physical activity, but they are generally not strenuous. If you are not comfortable with the planned excursion, please tell your site coordinator ahead of time and you do not have to attend. When are the excursions? o In the past, excursions have been during the full day on Wednesdays. However, this may change depending on your site and program season (winter, spring, or summer). More information about your specific itinerary will be provided closer to your departure. Section Five: General Who is my site coordinator? o Your site coordinator is a trained member of the AP team, usually native to the country where you will attend a program, who has experience managing groups and coordinating logistics. The name of your site coordinator and their contact information will be provided closer to your departure date. How many students are in the program? o Our programs vary in size from 4-18 Fellows. Most groups have 8-12 Fellows. Can I change my program start date/length/location?

7 o Once you are enrolled it is very difficult to switch program dates, lengths, and locations. Although it may be possible to change one of these, it may result in the changing of other details of your program as well. Even if you simply wish to decrease your program length, we may be unable to do so due to the necessity of having a certain amount of Fellows present in all programs at any given time. How much money should I bring abroad? What is the local currency? o We expect that students will not need more than the equivalent to $100 USD extra per week that they are abroad. But the amount you need depends on how much you plan to spend on restaurant meals, extracurricular activities, etc. Is the AP a legitimate program? What about new sites? o Yes, the AP is a hospital shadowing program that has been operating successfully since We expand each year to new sites, and we are confident that all of our sites will continue to have excellent reviews like all of our past programs have. Are you affiliated with any university or school? o No. But we have had students from hundreds of universities attend our programs over the past decade. We also have partnerships for group programs with schools including University of Delaware, University of Arizona, Brigham Young University, and more. How long have you been sending students abroad? o We were founded in 2007, and shortly thereafter began sending students abroad for various internships. We soon realized that the internships that students valued the most were in various international health care systems, specifically within a hospital setting. This is now exclusively the opportunity that we provide. When did you start sending students to X country? o We have had programs in various countries in past years, primarily in Spain and Portugal. This past year we introduced several new sites in and outside of Europe. We are confident that all programs will be successful. What is the refund policy? o We do not issue refunds for deposits. We do not issue refunds for the program fee after the final payment deadline has passed. What is covered in the program fee? o You can see exactly what is covered through the program fee on our website, but the primary items covered include pre-departure assistance, site housing, site staff, health insurance, excursions, most transportation, and some meals (breakfasts and 4 group dinners per week). Is my program safe? o No program is perfectly safe. There are risks when traveling abroad that must be considered by you as the participant. We do work to maximize your safety while abroad but there is no way for us to guarantee your safety. How many students have you had in the past? This year? o Over the years we have had hundreds of Fellows that we are now glad to call a part of our growing alumni network. This year we will have more Fellows than in the past due to our new sites. How many students are in each group? o The average group size is 10 Fellows, but this can vary depending on the site.

8 Is there a staff member on site? o Your AP site coordinator will be on site. Other AP staff, such as the admissions team, are based in the United States and will be available remotely for questions or concerns. Where is my site coordinator from? (local/native or U.S.) o Site coordinators are usually native to your host country, and are always fluent in both English and the native language in your site. Do I need a visa? o U.S. citizens do not need a visa to travel to our program locations unless they are staying for more than 90 days. If you are not a U.S. citizen, or do not have a U.S. passport, please consult your country s embassy. The AP is not responsible for coordinating your visa should you need one. What if I end up not being able to afford the program fee? o If the final program fee is not paid prior to the payment deadline, we will be forced to cancel the Fellow s program. This will result in the loss of the $800 nonrefundable deposit. Will you be able to accommodate the fact that I am vegetarian or vegan? o Our site coordinators and other staff members will do their best to account for any needs you may have due to dietary, religious, or other restrictions. But in some of our program locations this may be extremely difficult, as common dietary restrictions in the United States are not as common elswehere. So please plan ahead. Will you be able to accommodate my food allergies? o Our site coordinators and other staff members will do their best to account for any needs you may have due to dietary, religious, or other restrictions. But in some of our program locations this may be extremely difficult. So please plan ahead. Will you be able to accommodate the fact that I practice a specific religion with specific requirements, including restrictions on travel, diet, etc.? o Our site coordinators and other staff members will do their best to account for any needs you may have due to dietary, religious, or other restrictions. But in some of our program locations this may be extremely difficult. So please plan ahead. What if I have never shadowed before? o Shadowing experience is not required to be a part of the AP, and we will provide an orientation in the hospital before you begin to outline what is expected of you during your time shadowing. Section Six: Arrival/Departure When should I arrive? o You should arrive on your program start date. If you are unsure about your program start date, reach out to an admissions coordinator. Where should I fly into? o You should fly into the airport that is specified in your program information, except in special circumstances. When should I depart? o You should depart on your program end date. If you are unsure about your program end date, reach out to an admissions coordinator.

9 Where should I depart from? o You should depart from the same airport to which you arrived except in special circumstances. What time of day should I arrive/depart on my start/end date? o Try to arrive/depart between 8am and 8pm local time. But if you cannot, we will still try help you with arrival logistics. Is the airport safe? o We cannot guarantee travel safety. Every airport is different, but it is always smart to practice common sense when it comes to safety in an airport. Do not leave your baggage unattended, and do not leave the airport if you are waiting for pick-up. Every flight I am finding is extremely expensive. What do I do? o Please consult our Find a cheap flight flight tips document, or reach out to an admissions coordinator. You should always be able to find some option that will work that will be between $ for all our program locations. How will I know who is picking me up? What if there are imposters who pose as AP staff members that are not actually associated with the AP? o AP staff will be clearly designated by their t-shirt or a sign. Our team will know exactly when you will be arriving, unless your arrival information changes, in which case you should update us regarding your arrival. Always use common sense when it comes to safety concerns. Can I have a photo of the person who will be picking me up, and their contact information? o The contact information for your program will be provided prior to departure. These contacts may or may not be the people who will pick you up from the airport, but should you need to contact someone regarding your arrival they are the correct person to contact. We may have multiple people helping assist with the arrival process so it is impossible for us to always give you the exact contact information of the person waiting. More information will be provided regarding your arrival closer to your start date. If airport pick-up is provided for my site, where in the airport will I be picked up? o There is usually just one exit from the baggage claim area for the international terminal in most airports. We will also know what your flight number is, and which terminal you will be arriving in. However, please understand you will have to exit past the baggage claim, as our staff will not be able to go into the airport very far without a boarding pass. If airport pick-up is provided for my site, what happens if I arrive and there is no one there to pick me up? o This can happen, and in this case you should not leave the airport. We likely have someone on their way who may be running late for some reason. Do not panic! Use the contact information we provide in order to reach someone on our team to let them know that you are in the airport awaiting pick-up. How will I go from the airport to the housing? Is the cost of this covered? o Suggested information about getting to your site from a nearby airport will be provided for you prior to your departure. However, the cost of this transportation will not always be covered. Is there anything scheduled for the arrival day?

10 o We usually do not schedule any activities or meals for the arrival day. If my site offers airport pick-up, will I still be able to be picked up at the airport if I arrive a day or more early? o We will not be able to provide airport pick-up or drop-off if Fellows arrive before their start date or depart after their end date. Will I have housing if I arrive a day or more early? o We will not be able to provide housing if you arrive before your start date or depart after your end date. Will I still be able to be dropped off at the airport if I depart a day or more late? o We will not be able to provide airport pick-up or drop-off if Fellows arrive before their start date or depart after their end date. Will I have housing if I depart a day or more late? o We will not be able to provide housing if you arrive before your start date or depart after your end date. What if I want to stay abroad after my Fellowship? Will you provide housing? What do I need to put in the pre-departure form? o We will not provide housing after your end date if you wish to stay abroad, and please consult an admissions coordinator in order to put the proper information in your pre-departure form. What happens if my flight information changes? What if I miss a flight, or my flight is delayed? o As soon as you have any information regarding a change in your flight plan, whether it is due to a planned change, an unplanned change, or you miss a flight or a flight is delayed, immediately reach out to one of our staff members. The first person you should reach out to is your site coordinator, but you can also contact anyone from either our American admissions team or operations team abroad - we will make sure we contact the right person so that they are informed of your situation and how it will impact your arrival. In some cases you may have to wait at the airport for some time, or take a taxi on your own, if your delayed flight arrives at a very difficult time for us to assist you. But we will communicate instructions in these cases. How do I know other students from my area that will also be traveling to the same place at the same time? Can I have their contact information? o We cannot give out contact information for each Fellow due to privacy concerns, but we do have optional methods for enrolled Fellows to get in touch with each other before their programs begin. What if I will already be in the country for my program and will not be arriving on a flight? Do I still need to go to the airport, or should I go straight to the housing? o If you will not be arriving via flight into the airport specified in your program information, there is a section in the pre-departure form that will ask for alternate arrival details where you should include any information about your arrival. In general, it is best to go straight to your housing in these cases. Can my parent travel with or visit me? If my parent will be in the country with me, will they be able to be transported from the airport to the site? Can my parent stay in the housing?

11 o We discourage parents from traveling with Fellows and we cannot arrange for parents to join the same group transportation as our Fellows for liability reasons. Of course, parents are welcome to visit their students in the program site. The AP will not provide accommodations for parents, nor can parents participate in AP excursions, group meals, or hospital shadowing. Section Seven: Pre-Departure Form How do I enroll in STEP? o To enroll in STEP, you will need the address of either your housing or the hospital you will be shadowing at. Sometimes this information will not be immediately available. Reach out to an admissions coordinator for additional assistance with this. How do both me and my parent sign the contract if we are in different places? o The contract can be signed electronically. In addition, you can print, sign, and scan the copy and send it to your parent, who can then do the same before submitting it as a single file in PDF format. What do I do if my flight number changes or I change the flight that I am taking? o Please contact an admissions coordinator immediately if there is any change in your flight plan prior to departure. Do I need to include any other medical information in the pre-departure form and signed health form? o We should only need the medical information included in the pre-departure form and signed health form, but please be thorough. In some sites/hospitals, specific tests will be required, but you will be notified ahead of time if this is the case with your assigned hospital. Section Eight: Program Safety Is the program safe? How do you know? o We cannot guarantee your safety. You should examine our programs and materials and make your own decision before joining our program. In the past our programs have not proven to be dangerous. What safety measures do you have in place to ensure safety? o We train our staff in safety management and emergency response protocols. We take measures to examine the general safety of our program locations and discontinue programs or activities when we become aware that there are large safety hazards. What is your emergency action plan? o Please refer to our Fellow Handbook and pre-departure orientation. Who is the safety coordinator? Can I have their contact information? o The AP does not have a full-time safety coordinator, but all of our staff is trained with safety as the top priority. What does enrolling in STEP do? o Enrolling in STEP is simply a way to notify the US Government of your status abroad in case of major emergencies like terrorist attacks or cataclysmic events such as an earthquake.

12 There have been recent terrorist attacks. What if my program location is directly affected by a terrorist attack? Will we be refunded if we do not go? Will you cancel programs? o If your program location is affected by terrorist activity, the program will be canceled. In this case, partial or full refunds will be considered. Can you guarantee that my program will be in a safe location? o No, we cannot guarantee the safety of any program location. All of our program locations have normal risks. In general our programs are run in places where we believe the safety hazards are not out of the ordinary. Will our site coordinator tell us which parts of the city are safe and unsafe? What experience does our site coordinator have with safety in the area? o Yes, the site coordinator will give you instructions on the areas of the city to avoid. You should also perform your own due diligence and search for this information online or from a local tourist office on site, as well as using common sense. What is the emergency number for my location? o This information will be provided in your program information prior to your departure, but can also be easily researched online. What is the emergency number for the AP? o The best emergency number is your local emergency contact since these authorities will be able to react fastest. If you need to contact the AP in the event of an emergency, refer to the emergency contact information you are provided. Section Nine: Payment How do I pay my final program fee? o You should pay your final program fee through the student portal, using an e-check. What is my final program fee? o Your final program fee is the amount listed for your program length on our website, minus any explicit scholarships offered by the AP. Can I pay via credit card? o Yes, you can usually do so over the phone with an admissions coordinator. There will be a 2.9% convenience fee added to your program fee if you use credit card. Is there any type of payment plan? o No, we do not offer payment plans. What is an e-check? o An e-check is an ACH wire transfer from your checking account to ours. The information used to send an e-check is identical to what appears on the bottom of a physical paper check. Will I receive confirmation of my final program fee submission? o Yes, you will receive an confirmation and receipt. Can I have an extension on my final program fee deadline? o This is not always possible, but you can contact our admissions team for further information.