Medical School senior associate dean touts global health electives on AMSA podcast
During a 15-minute interview, Joseph C. Kolars, M.D., makes the case for working abroad as a medical student
Coursework, rotations, research and studying for boards. In an already-crowded medical school curriculum, what is the value of squeezing in an international experience?
Finding time and energy for an international elective isn’t easy, but it can be infinitely rewarding. Joseph C. Kolars, M.D., the Medical School’s senior associate dean for education and global initiatives, recently appeared on the American Medical Student Association podcast to make the case for working abroad as a medical student.
“Students learn a great deal about themselves when they have to go into a completely different culture with a completely different set of resources,” says Kolars, the Josiah Macy Jr. Professor of Health Professions Education. “When you go into low-resource settings, there are lots of problems and opportunities. And it’s widely known that many innovations come from people trying to solve problems in low-resource settings.”
To read more, and to listen to the podcast, click below.