Atraves welcomes health professionals of all types—physicians, nurses, dentists, ophthalmologists, therapists, etc.—to join us at any time during the year you may be able to donate your time. Depending on the season, we may have ongoing health services that you can participate in, or we may ask you to help fundraise the supplies and medicine needed to carry out your work.

Interested in teaching in Chile, China, Spain or Thailand for a year? This program allows students to live and work overseas while learning and interacting with the local people, culture and language. CIEE negotiates a placement teaching English, offers a local stipend and temporary housing.

The Cross-Cultural Medicine program seeks to provide an opportunity for service for medical students, residents, fellows, mid-level practitioners and practicing health care professionals in helping to deliver medical care at the Rasin Foundation’s medical clinic in Petite Rivière in Leogane, Haiti. This program enables the participants to develop a deeper understanding of the determinants of health in a semi-rural community, master the art of history and physical exam as the most accurate method for formulating a differential diagnosis in resource-limited settings, initiate public health interventions while learning about the Haitian culture.  Participants are asked to commit to a minimum of 2 weeks which can also be expanded based on mutual interest. Opportunities also exist for individuals interested in learning Haitian Creole during the rotation. The Cross-cultural medicine program is directed by Dr. Arielle Adrien, 3^rd year clerkship site director and assistant professor of medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine.  She is also the current board president of RasinFoundation, a small Massachusetts based non-profit organization dedicated to improve rural health in Haiti.

Medical students may go to Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou (ZUSM) for 1 or 2 months on a clinical elective. PLME undergraduates and medical students may take a 4 to 6-week Traditional Chinese Medicine program. The TCM program may be customized to meet the needs of the student. Fluency in Chinese is a must (at least conversational competency to about level of Chinese 500-600 to get the most out of the experience). ZUSM waives tuition, provides room and board. Transportation is provided by the student.

This elective program introduced preventive medicine, public health and the principles of applied epidemiology to senior medical students. Students can assist with epidemiological investigations based on their preference of study in areas such as infectious diseases, cancer, congenital malformations, etc. The elective is offered each year from September through early June for a period of 6-8 weeks.

The Memorial Center is an academic medical center dedicated to cancer research, patient care, and education. The Memorial Hospital faculty is offering clinical electives to FINAL year medical students. This program is highly competitive so applications should demonstrate superior academic and supporting credentials. 

The Humanitarian Initiative is offering two events for students with a particular interest in international humanitarian assistance in conflict and disasters:
- The Humanitarian Studies Initiative (HSI) is an intensive training program that works in collaboration with many of the world’s largest non-governmental organizations to link students, residents and faculty to fieldwork, research and policy in the humanitarian arena. The HIS Certificate Program trains students in issues critical to humanitarian assistance which includes a three-day field simulation. This program runs from April 16-28, 2013 in Boston.
- The International Humanitarian Association (IHSA) World Conference of Humanitarian Studies TBD. This conference will bring together the wider audience of academics and practitioners in the field of humanitarian assistance.

Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) seeks medical student interns to assist with Social Security disability claims for children and young adults in state care. Standard internships last between 6 and 12 weeks, including summer, and depending on program and curriculum requirements. Hours are 9am to 2:30pm, Monday through Friday, flexible for school and work needs. Each internship is non-paid but offers community service recognition by DCYF. The primary role of the intern will be to assist caseworkers by matching children’s medical records to the SSI claims, which will expose medical students to many combinations of disabilities, symptoms, and related diagnoses.

The Helping Hands Grant Program provides grants up to $5,000 to medical schools for mental health service projects that are created and managed by medical students, particularly in underserved minority communities. These projects can be conducted in partnership with community agencies or in conjunction with ongoing medical school outreach activities. The program was established to raise awareness of mental illness and the importance of early recognition of illness; and build an interest amongst medical students in psychiatry and working in underserved communities.

In order to address the lack of advocacy training provided to health professionals and their related students, PSR is launching a program to certify students as “PSR Health Professional Student Ambassadors.”  Through a series of educational modules, conference calls, and in-person trainings at the local, regional, or national level, health professional student participants will become certified in various global issues. PSR is offering a PSR Student Fellowship.  This position will be full-time and located at the national PSR office in Washington, DC.  The student, a medical or graduate level allied-health student will be offered this full-time one year position either during a sabbatical year from their program or at the end of their formal training.  This is a paid position. The primary role of the Fellow will be development and launching of the PSR Student Ambassador program.  To apply, please submit a cover letter describing your qualifications and salary requirements, resume, and three supervisory references to employment@psr.org.  Applications accepted until position is filled. 

Improve your listening skills by becoming a volunteer for The Samaritans of RI Suicide Prevention Crisis Hotline/Listening Line. A fellow Brown medical student said of the experience, “As someone who hopes to pursue a career in medicine, I know this experience will help me so much in the future, in terms of knowing how to communicate with patients and truly listen to what they are trying to tell me. I absolutely know this will make me a better physician, and I am thankful to the Samaritans for teaching me these skills.” Fall Training Classes Begin in September. Medical students eligible for Brown Financial aid may be eligible for Off Campus Work-Study when volunteering for The Samaritans. Please check with your financial aid adviser in the Medical School.