Medical students to work in Malawi

Medical students and staff from the University of Dundee are to undertake work placements in Malawi, which will see them contributing to frontline care and medical research.

The “Medicine in Malawi Placements” will be open to the university’s fifth-year medical students from next July, and will see them based in the capital Lilongwe working on a four-month rotating basis in Kamuzu Central Hospital.

In addition to working on a hospital ward the students will also have the opportunity to do research, audits, and to work on mini projects with international health organisations and local outreach clinics.

Further details of the programme will be discussed when Dr Francis Moto, High Commissioner of Malawi visits the university later today.

Rebecca Baird, one of the students who is organising the scheme said:“All students currently have to do a two-month elective programme at the start of their fifth-year but we thought it would make a greater impact and be more useful if we could spend longer in Malawi and really get to grips with things there.”

“It represents a really good opportunity for us as students but hopefully it will also have a considerable impact on healthcare in Malawi, where there is a real need to develop better infrastructure and care.

“Unlike usual electives our programme will support the employment of an additional local doctor and contribute funds to the receiving unit.

As students we are also committed to preparing ourselves so we are culturally informed as well as versed in relevant conditions found in that area.”