While international medical experiences offer amazing learning opportunities and adventure, they should not be undertaken without adequate investigation. This includes ensuring the trip will be educational, well-supervised, respectful of the limits of medical students at various levels of training, sensitive to the community’s needs, and, of course, safe. Students are expected to be academically sound and have no deficiencies in coursework to obtain approval. In addition, there are Federal, State of Florida, and UCF policies that apply to international travelers. The following are the steps needed before students undertake any international medical travel, including travel with groups outside the UCF COM and during vacation time. Plan to complete the steps below at least 8 weeks before you travel.
Step 1 – Contact Student Affairs
This applies to all students who are traveling internationally, including but not limited to the following:
- Doing a 3rd or 4th year elective/clerkship
- Going on an international medical service trip (e.g. Peru)
- Attending or presenting at an international conference
- Traveling as part of FIRE to do research
As soon as you are aware of your international travel or are uncertain about your travel plans abroad, contact Dr. Soraya Smith with Student Affairs. Know the dates and location of travel, the sponsors of the trip, and the purpose of the trip.
Step 2 – Check the U.S. State Department website
Check the U.S. State Department website for travel advisories. Consider registering your travel through their Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). The university may restrict travel to countries for which the U.S. Department of State has issued a Level 3 or Level 4 Travel Advisory or for which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Travel Health Notice related to high-risk, contagious disease.
At its discretion, the university may also restrict certain other destinations where the security, health, and /or political situation is unstable. This restriction does not apply to privately funded travel that is not related to university business or is in no way affiliated with UCF (e.g. personal vacation/personal travel)
Furthermore, to comply with Florida Statute 1010.36, preapproval and screening are required by UCF Global and the Office of International Collaboration and Export Control (OICEC) for any university-related international travel engaged in by all faculty, researchers, and research department staff.
Restricted Travel – Travel to destinations under a US State Dept Travel Warning (not alert). https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/alertswarnings.html
- All graduate and undergraduate students must file a Travel Approval Petition for all restricted countries.
- All faculty and staff must file a Travel Approval Petition for all restricted countries IF not listed on the exemptions list: http://global.ucf.edu/ucf-faculty-and-scholar-research/restricted-travel/#exemptions
- The online form requires an NID and NID password and is designed to assess the traveler’s experience and expertise in the higher-risk destination. Therefore, it must be completed by the traveler.
Step 3 – Submit a Travel Approval Petition (TAP) and Complete Travel Safety Registration
International travel approval must be sought through a Travel Approval Petition (TAP). The TAP is submitted online through UCF Global. This form is routed for review by the Chair and Dean of your academic unit (which would be Dr. Soraya Smith in this case) and the Office of International Collaboration and Export Control (OICEC). UCF Global, as the Provost Designee, provides the final decision.
Once approval is obtained, students, faculty, and staff must register each international trip taken as university business (conference, medical service trip, research, study abroad, etc.) including those approved via restricted travel. The university provides coverage to faculty, staff and students traveling outside of the United States on university-sponsored trips. See UCF Policy 3-110, University Insurance.
Once you register your international travel with UCF, you will be given access to the “International Travel Essentials” Webcourses@UCF. This webcourse contains important information on traveling abroad, including insurance coverage and claims information.
Step 4 – Obtain documentation
All students will need to obtain a passport, a copy of their visa (if applicable), emergency contact information, a travel itinerary, and proof of insurance.
- 4th year electives/clerkships: students must also read a copy of the AAMC Guidelines for Premedical and Medical Students Providing Patient Care During Clinical Experiences Abroad, fill out the M4 International Elective Form, and have it signed by Dr. Smith and the Elective Director.
- International medical service trips (e.g. Peru): students must read a copy of the AAMC Guidelines for Premedical and Medical Students Providing Patient Care During Clinical Experiences Abroad and have the Extracurricular Clinical Activity Approval form signed by Dr. Smith.
Step 5 – Travel Clinic
If needed, schedule an appointment with the COM student clinic to receive vaccines or prophylaxis as needed here: https://med.ucf.edu/student-affairs/student-services/health-services/.
Step 6 – Documents submission and copies
Submit all signed documents to Dr. Soraya Smith.
Scan a copy of all your documents, especially passport information, and email it to yourself in case of theft or loss while you are abroad.
Step 7 – Travel safe!
Here is a great resource from Georgetown University – School of Nursing and Health Studies on how to prepare for a medical mission trip: https://online.nursing.georgetown.edu/blog/humanitarian-nursing/
On your return, please consider sending in photos or a blog for posting so that other students can read about your experiences. No pictures of patients, please!
Have a great trip!
Other Resources
STEP Program
We strongly recommend that you register with the U.S. State Department Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive alerts and advice from the local embassy.
Visa, Entry, Exit requirements
Check passport and VISA requirements. Some countries require that a traveler’s passport be valid for at least six months beyond the dates of the trip. Contact the embassy of your foreign destination for more information. Foreign embassy and consulate contact information can also be found on our Country Specific Information pages. Order appropriate documents at: http://travel.state.gov/.
To learn more about your destination’s Visa, Entry, Exit requirements we recommend you start here: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel.html. While applying for a visa in person is generally less expensive, there are many services that can assist for a fee. While we cannot recommend one over another here are a few to consider:
https://www.visahq.com/ | https://www.travisa.com/
IN AN EMERGENCY
- Contact the local “911” List of Emergency Numbers Around the World.
- If you have an emergency abroad and need to reach UCF personnel immediately, please call the Emergency Abroad Hotline at 1-407-823-0595.
- For medical referral, evacuation, repatriation or other services provided to UCF community members on sponsored travel please call the travel insurance provider at 1-630-694-9764.