All fees are based on a 4 week program. For longer programs, additional fees are calculated on a weekly basis. While only 4 and 8 week options are available when applying, please click here for detailed instructions for 5, 6 or 7 week options.

• Application Fee: $95
• Porgram Fee 2010: $2095
• Program Fee 2011 (except June and July): $2295
• Program Fee 2011 June and July: $2445
  

Students attending this program spend two weeks in Dehradun, one week in Mussoorie and one week in the village of Patti.

Dehradun is the capital city of the state of Uttarakhand (previously acknowledged as Utttaranchal) in India. “Doon” dhoon or dun in Sanskrit language means a valley formed by the tectonic activity within the earth. It is a beautiful location that attracts visitors with the Himalayan Mountains to the north, the shivalik hills to the south, the Ganges river to the east and the river Yamuna to the west.  The queen of hills, Mussoorie, located near Dehradun is also known for its breathtaking beauty.

Patti lies about 1 hour from Dehradun, amongst a cluster of 8 villages in the in the Than Gaon region in the foothills of Himalayas.  The CFHI clinic is located in the rural village of Patti, the central location for the surrounding villages with a combined population of approximately 1500 people.  CFHI has been working in this Gram Sabha (cluster of villages) since 1999.

The accommodation and space for clinic has been provided by a former village leader, “Panchayat head”  who also runs a ration shop nearby where the entire village comes for their daily requirement.  There is also a government-run junior high school situated opposite the clinic. The clinic provides routine check-ups for school children with the help of CFHI participants.

Mussoorie. For one week, students will work in Mussoorie, known as the queen of hills, this charming hill station, 34 kms from Dehradun is situated at an altitude of over 7000 feet and offers views of pine covered hill slopes and snow capped mountains. The modern bungalows, malls and gardens are located on the small hills around the area.

• Photos
• Practical Information
• Recommended Vaccinations
• Visas

Practical Information

• Recommended Books
  
• Wikipedia India
  
• Wikipedia Dehra Dun
  
• Dehra Dun official site
  
• Mussoori: Uttarakhand Information Center
  
• Map of India
  
• India: A Country Study
  

  
  

*CFHI does not endorse any services provided by these sites nor does it guarantee the accuracy of their information.

Recommended Vaccinations

Please visit your local public health office, or travel clinic and heed the advice of a travel physician. You should have all your routine childhood and adult vaccinations as required, including yellow fever for some countries, at least 4 weeks prior to departure. Be sure to set up doctor's appointment up 4 to 6 weeks before your trip. Please click here for a detailed explanation from the CDC of routine, required and recommended vaccinations.

Recommended vaccinations (according to risk): These vaccines are recommended to protect travelers from illnesses present in other parts of the world and to prevent the importation of infectious diseases across international borders. CFHI does not require verification of recommended vaccinations; however we strongly suggest getting all CDC recommended vaccinations. Please click here for a list of CDC recommended vaccinations for India.

Visas
Please note that you will need to obtain a tourist visa prior to your arrival to India. You will receive more information about this once you are accepted to the program. You may also click here for more detailed information on how and where to submit your visa application. Please do not submit a visa application until you receive CFHI's Program handbook with more specific instructions on how to apply.

Click here to read portions of a blog written by CFHI alumna Nicole Foti who participated in the Rural/Urban Himalayan Program (October 2009) and the Maternal and Child Health Program in Pune (November 2009)   Click here to view a video by CFHI alumna Muna Beg of her experience on a CFHI India program (July 2008).   Click here to read a first hand account of CFHI alumna Nancy Rosebaugh's experience on the Rural/Urban Himalayan Program (February 2008).   Click here to read a first hand account of CFHI alumna Dana Block's experience on the Rural/Urban Himalayan Rotation Program (February 2007).   Click here to read a first hand account of CFHI alumna Allison Foxx's experience on the Rural/Urban Himalayan Rotation Program (July 2009). “In Uttarakhand I came to appreciate and savor the unpredictability and opportunity to grow with each patient. Learning about culture and health care delivery in this part of the world, amidst hard ethical dilemmas and tropical illnesses, made my desire to become a physician even clearer. I experienced an exceptional way to learn medicine through the generosity of patients, and the willingness of colleagues to use their strengths to benefit others.” -Nicholas Murray, August 2009 (Pre-Med Senior, Gustavus Adolphus College)   "They were extremely well organized, enthusiastic, helpful, accommodating, and open to hearing our opinions. We also got to see a wide variety of places, projects and people ranging from the slums to extremely rural villages. Some of the highlights include talking with adolescents in villages, working with and talking openly with female sex workers about their lives and HIV/AIDS, visiting the public hospital, meeting with pregnant women in the slums and then being able to have input at the end about our opinions or thoughts of how to improve the programs." - Christina Marchion (University of Washington School of Medicine, MS-4)   “The program was clinically relevant, and personal learning was significant, both in clinical and cultural realms. The structure of the program was well thought-out, with appropriate communication and safeguards. Staff in the central office was available and helpful; staff on location was a tremendous resource.” - Nancy Rosebaugh, alumna, February 2008 (Advanced degree in Nursing, Duke University School of Nursing)   “I thought this trip was perfect for my personal goals. The trip allowed us to see different clinical setting and how doctors practice medicine in a different environment with different resources. It also allowed us to experience a different culture and to get a glimpse of how cultures think differently and how it can affect how we practice medicine.” -Misti McHatton, Alumna, July 2008 (Pre-med senior, Regent University)   “It was an incredible journey of personal growth as well as learning a lot about medicine.” - Sanjukta Basak, April 2008 (MS-3, McGill University )  If you would like to speak to alumni of this program via email, please contact alumni@cfhi.org for more information.

Language Ability
This program is open to those who possess English

This program is open to participants who are 21 or over at the time of participation.We accept students of all nationalities with interest in international health and relevant educational background. Participants may be any of the following:

• Medical Residents, MD & DO
• Medical Students, MD & DO 1-2
• Medical Students, MD & DO 3-4
• Senior level Pre-Medical Students
• Post-bacc pre-medical students
• Gap year pre-medical students
• Graduate nursing students
• Nursing Students
• MPH Students
• Physicians Assistants Students
• Naturopathic students

If you do not fit into one of these categories, please contact us to see if you would be eligible to apply.

The following hospitals and clinics are a sample of possible rotations during this program. Restrictions may apply for pre-clinical, and pre-medical students.

CFHI programs can be predominately observational depending on your previous clinical training, your ability to communicate directly with patients, local laws that prevent foreigners from directly providing healthcare services and whether the preceptors who will be supervising you trust your clinical skills. Rotation availability depends on local conditions.

Rural Clinic in the village of Patti
A small central village in the Himalayan Mountains. Here, students will spend one week living and working with a local physician, Dr. Paul, who has a BAMS (Bachelors in Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery). In addition to the outpatient clinic work, Dr. Paul also goes to surrounding villages to conduct health camps. He treks with the students to small villages, which may be 2-4 hours walk from Patti. These trips are essential for providing health services to those who cannot come to the main clinic. These health camps are a great way to see the small villages in the Himalayan Mountains and learn about the challenges of providing services to a remote and poor population.

Landour Community Hospital, Mussoorie
Landour Community Hospital is a 35 bed facility in Mussoorie. The hospital was started by Methodist missionaries in 1938 and came under the management of Emmanuel Hospital Association (EHA) in 1981. It is a charitable institution. The hospital building is an old colonial structure with beautiful views of the Himalayas. Students work here in the OPD from 8:30 AM to 1:00PM. After lunch they go on clinical rounds with the attending physician. Missionary doctors from around the world come here to work and serve the population. It is a teaching hospital and there are ample opportunities for case discussions and clinical activities.

Vaish Nursing Home, Dehra Dun
Dr. Vipin Vaish is a pediatrician who runs his own neonatal and pediatric hospital in Dehra Dun. This facility serves middle- and low-income families. Here students can accompany him on rounds and may observe minor procedures that he may be doing. This facility is very popular with CFHI participants.

Vohra Nursing Home and Clinic at Prem Nagar Dehradun
This clinic is situated just off of the Delhi Highway (NH 72) in Premnagar which is a small town close to the north western periphery of Dehradun. The hospital is located near the Indian Military Accadmy (IMA) and serves a large geographic area. Patients of all socio-economic positions are seen, however most are of a middle class status. Many patients also come from nearby villages including Than Gaon and its adjoining areas.

Other Private Practitioners
-Dr. Sanjay Gandhi: Medical Director of the Rural/Urban Himalayan Program. Dr. Gandhi works at his own clinic in the Emergency Medicine and Cardiology Ward.

-Dr. K. B. Joshi- Dr. Joshi serves at the Doon Government Hospital. He is a cardiologist and also works at his own clinic.

-Dr. Naveen Ahuja: A Neurologist working at the Doon government hospital. He also works at his own clinic.

All rotations are subject to change depending on local availability. Local coordinators will make alternate arrangements if a particular activity or facility is not available during the program month.

Please note that four (4) full weeks of lodging at the "program site" (Dehra Dun and surrounding areas) is covered by the program fee. This usually includes one (1) night upon arrival in Delhi if the flight arrives late in the evening and one (1) night at the end of the program in Delhi if your flight departs early on the last Saturday. Participants are transported to Delhi from Dehra Dun on Friday or Saturday, depending on the flight departure time. Participants must depart from Delhi on the program end date (Saturday).

Clinical and Public Health Rotations
CFHI's rotations are designed to offer you clinical and observational experiences relevant to your level of medical education. The program includes the following educational aspects:

• Pre-trip orientation materials & web conference opportunities
• Orientation upon arrival, including cultural adjustment exercises
• Scheduled meetings with Medical Director and Local Coordinator
• Clinical rotations Monday-Friday, excepting holidays or work stoppages, working with a local physician who has opted to participate in CFHI as a teaching preceptor
• Information sessions that highlight the health care system in that country, common cases you will encounter and other site-specific information
• Post-trip debrief materials & other on-going alumni activities/services

We recommend you study as much Hindi (and other local languages) as possible before you go, as it will greatly decrease personal frustration you may experience during the CFHI experience. All of activities listed above will be conducted in English and all of our partners in this program speak English, yet many other people you will encounter may not.

If you expect that you will need academic credit for your CFHI program, you will be responsible for getting your university's approval. CFHI can help you and provide you with the appropriate material (printing out this website information generally is not sufficient), however we are not an accredited institution and cannot award credit ourselves. Please click here to read more about ways in which CFHI can help you obtain academic credit from your university.

Comprehensive Orientation and Full Time Coordinators
One of our local coordinators will meet you on arrival at New Delhi International Airport from where you will be transported to the guesthouse. Nature Quest, CFHI's local coordinator, will arrange all accommodations, meals and provide orientation on issues around diet, safety, transport, currency conversion, communication, travel, norms and culture. Our coordinators will hold meetings to monitor and evaluate the program and will provide 24-hour emergency support.

Accommodations (Shared Basis
Accommodation in the program varies depending on the location of the students throughout the month. Please note that the accommodation does not include facilities like air conditioning, internet, telephones, mineral water or hot water bath. There will be showers for you to use to bathe, but the water may not always be hot. The food provided in the program is traditional Indian vegetarian cuisine.

• New Delhi: students will stay at a local guesthouse when they arrive, before going to Dehra Dun
• Patti: (one week): simple cottages built outside the village
• Dehra Dun: (two weeks): students will stay with local host families when available.
• Mussoorie: (one week): guest rooms at the hospital. Meals are provided at the hospital as well.

If you decide to arrive early or stay in the CFHI accommodations after your program has ended, you will need to pay for the time spent outside of the program. These fees should be paid directly to the local coordinator of the program. The prices are about $50 USD per night for a hotel in Delhi, and around $10-$25 USD for extra nights at the homestays in and around Dehradun (includes meals).

Communication
You will be assigned a mobile phone (with free unlimited incoming calls) for the duration of your stay. All-important phone numbers will have been pre-programmed along with a limited amount of airtime for emergencies. To make calls over and above the airtime included, you can purchase pre-paid phone cards at various locations locally. You will be required to sign a $100 release form in order to receive the cell phone. You will not be charged the $100 fee if the phone is returned in good working order to your program coordinator. To learn more about how to make phone calls to and from your program country, click here. *(CFHI does not endorse any services provided by these sites nor does it guarantee the accuracy of their information).

Please note that there is no internet/e-mail access in the rural areas. You will be able to check e-mail only in Dehradun.

Program Months
All CFHI groups of participants fluctuate in size through out the year. The summer months tend to be the busiest time of year, so please plan ahead and apply early if you want to secure a space in a specific program during the summer months. During the rest of the year, the group size in a program can be small, especially during the fall months. However, we will NEVER cancel a program due to the size of the group, even if there is only one participant. 

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CFHI is a nonprofit organization committed to providing students a unique opportunity to experience another culture and healthcare system in a responsible way. Though we work closely with our global partners to provide you the best possible trip, the nature of international travel means that we cannot anticipate all challenges that may occur. It is important that participants realize they must remain flexible in the face of situations that may be difficult to understand. Participating in a CFHI program means that you are an informal ambassador to the community you visit and your professional behavior is of the utmost importance.

Child Family Health International (CFHI) offers service-learning programs around the world. CFHI would like to stress to prospective applicants and institutional partners, that service-learning is not an episodic volunteer experience, and our student programs are not designed to provide service to those who would otherwise not have healthcare. The main objectives are to broaden your public health knowledge, experience a different culture, and develop creativity in problem-solving. CFHI has assembled a global family of outstanding local healthcare professionals who are at the forefront of healthcare delivery in their countries. You will have the rare opportunity to shadow these unique women and men observing and learning to work in a clinical and public health environment with limited diagnostic and therapeutic resources.

1. What problem do we address?

2. How do we address the problem?

3. How does the community benefit?

4. How do participants help in the clinic?

5. What kind of educational experience is the CFHI global health elective?

6. What are the objectives of the program?

7. Where do CFHI students come from (past participants' universities/colleges)?

8. What role can domestic Institutional Partners (universities, collaboratives, et. al.) play?

9. What is Service-Learning?

1. What problem do we address?

In today’s world we often see the uneven distribution of healthcare that leaves many impoverished communities underserved. Economic, political, and social factors all contribute to people’s access to healthcare, both internationally and at home. Increasingly, we need culturally and linguistically competent healthcare providers around the world to address these inequities.

2. How do we address the problem?

Child Family Health International’s (CFHI) Global Health Service-Learning Programs combine instruction, experience, service, and reflection to create a model that supports physicians and clinical sites abroad, addresses the healthcare needs of the underserved, and adds an unforgettable experiential element to each program participant’s education.

CFHI programs bring service-learning to hospitals and clinics around the world, allowing participants to gain insight on the contextual constructs of illness and healing in foreign settings. Program Alumni return from the host country with new perspectives on healthcare systems and delivery in places where resources and supplies are extremely limited. To read further on the potential benefits of international experiences for health students, we recommend the paper “The Effect of a Global Multiculturalism Track on Cultural Competence of Preclinical Medical Students” by Godkin and Savageau (2001).

Since 1992, CFHI has arranged for nearly 4,000 pre-medical, medical and other students of the health professions, from over 400 top universities in the and the world, to work and study in Bolivia, Ecuador, India, Mexico, and South Africa

3. How does the community benefit?

While a student’s ability to practice medicine may be limited by clinical knowledge or language skills, the participant’s contribution to the community is not an illusion. For example, we provide each participant with a box of donated medical supplies to carry with them for distribution among partner facilities. In addition, our partner physicians at each program site are compensated for their willingness to mentor CFHI students. This supplementary income promotes job retention in countries where physicians are paid small salaries, often by financially strapped governments. Furthermore, the exchange of information between students and their preceptors provides an invaluable experience for participants, the patients, and the physicians.

4. How do participants help in the clinic?

Each of our program sites has many locally qualified and experienced healthcare providers, so the participant’s primary motivation for participation should not focus on a concept of humanitarian aid, in which one expects to provide medical care to people that would otherwise not receive it. The participant’s main objective should be to actively observe, according to current language abilities, level of training, and local laws, in order to develop a high level of community health awareness. While abroad, this happens in the social and cultural context of the program site.  Child Family Health International (CFHI) would like to stress to prospective applicants and institutional partners, that service-learning is not an episodic volunteer experience, and our student programs are not designed to provide service to those who would otherwise not have healthcare.

5. What kind of educational experience is the CFHI global health elective?

CFHI's rotations are designed to offer you hands-on  or observational clinical experience (depending on your clinical and language skills as well as local laws), much like what you would experience during a rotation in the . The program includes the following educational aspects:

• Pre-trip orientation materials & web conference opportunities
• Orientation upon arrival, including cultural adjustment exercises
• Weekly meetings with Medical Director and Local Coordinator
• Clinical rotations Monday-Friday, excepting holidays or work stoppages, working with a local physician who has opted to participate in CFHI as a teaching preceptor.
• Information sessions that highlight the health care system in that country, common cases you will encounter and other site-specific information.
• Post-trip debrief materials & other on-going alumni activities/services

If you are attending a program in a Spanish-speaking country, we recommend you study as much Spanish as possible before you go, as it will greatly decrease your personal frustration during the CFHI experience. Most activities listed above will be conducted in Spanish, except for the orientations and alumni services.

MD Consult and FIRST Consult bring the leading medical resources together into one integrated online service to help physicians efficiently find answers to clinical questions, make better treatment decisions, and stay abreast of recent developments. MD Consult has been adopted by over 90% of North American medical schools and by over 1,700 health care organizations in 46 countries worldwide. FIRST Consult offers an evidence-based resource for the Point of Care, peer-reviewed content and a differential diagnosis tool.

(Please view the FAQs on the right had panel for more information)

6. What are the objectives of the CFHI Service-Learning program?

CFHI’s International Health Service-Learning Programs help participants:

• Develop a larger sense of cultural competency
• Observe and develop existing clinical skills
• Broaden public health knowledge
• Develop creativity in problem-solving
• Deepen their commitment to service
• Promote medical supply conservation

Prospective participants may apply online. Our participants are 21 years of age and over, come from around the globe, and are dedicated to a diverse array of professions in health.

7. Where do your students come from (past participants' colleges/universities)?

CFHI has provided global health education programs to nearly 4,000 health science students since 1992.  Our participants come from over 35 countries and 400+ of the most prestigious universities in the world, and represent a huge variety of the medical profession’s student population.

8. What role do domestic institutional partners (i.e. universities, collaboratives) play?

In addition to providing quality programs for individual students, CFHI is dedicated to building relationships with institutions of higher learning for relevant international programs. Creating and sustaining international programs is a long-term and labor-intensive process. Our international partnerships with physicians and clinic sites are established and reliable, and CFHI can offer the expertise needed to administer an international program to match institutional needs. Some of our current partnerships include:

• Princeton University—Health Professions Advising Office and the Pace Center for Service-Learning: CFHI developed a domestic and international health service-learning program that combined 5 weeks of international work in Quito, Ecuador with 40 hours of service in Spanish-speaking health centers in urban New Jersey.

• Oregon University System—IE3 Global Internship program: CFHI designed 11-week clinical internships in and that focus on cultural competency and valuable clinical experience within the structure of an internship. The internship promotes planning and goal-setting for students in the clinic setting.

• College Corps—CFHI currently working with College Corps, a project started several years ago by Harvard University undergraduate students, to offer 8-week programs in Bolivia, Ecuador, India, Mexico or South Africa, for pre-med students.

• University of California Davis—has teamed up with CFHI to offer a quarter-long study abroad program in Oaxaca, that highlights Latino/a Health Internship Program for undergraduate students. This course is certified by the university as a 20-unit course entitled "Bi-National Health".

If you are an administrator and would like to discuss partnership possibilities we would be excited to hear from you! Please contact Program Staff at CFHI at students@cfhi.org or by phone at (415) 957-9000 x304 and ask for Rea (pronounced Ray).

9. What is service-learning?

Child Family Health International (CFHI) would like to stress to prospective applicants and institutional partners, that service-learning is not an episodic volunteer experience, and our student programs are not designed to provide service to those who would otherwise not have healthcare.

The following is an excerpt from the Campus Community Partnerships in Health (CCPH) website (http://depts.washington.edu/ccph/):

Service-learning is a structured learning experience that combines community service with preparation and reflection. Students engaged in service-learning provide community service in response to community-identified concerns and learn about the context in which service is provided, the connection between their service and their academic coursework, and their roles as citizens.

Service-learning differs from traditional clinical education in the health professions in that:

• Service-learning strives to achieve a balance between service and learning objectives - in service-learning, partners must negotiate the differences in their needs and expectations.

• Service-learning places an emphasis on addressing community concerns and broad determinants of health .

• In service-learning, there is the integral involvement of community partners - service-learning involves a principle-centered partnership between communities and health professions schools.

• Service-learning emphasizes reciprocal learning - In service-learning, traditional definitions of "faculty," "teacher" and "learner" are intentionally blurred. We all learn from each other.

• Service-learning emphasizes reflective practice - In service-learning, reflection facilitates the connection between practice and theory and fosters critical thinking.

• Service-learning places an emphasis on developing citizenship skills and achieving social change- many factors influence health and quality of life. The provision of health services is not often the most important factor. In service-learning, students place their roles as health professionals and citizens in a larger societal context.
  
  

Citation: Seifer SD. (1998). Service-learning: Community-campus partnerships for health professions education. Academic Medicine, 73(3):273-277.  

Medical Director
Dr. Sanjay Gandhi is the medical director of the "Introduction to Traditional Medicine" and the "Rural/Urban Himalayan Rotation" programs run by CFHI. He is responsible for arranging your clinical rotations and relevant lectures. He runs a private clinic by the name of City Heart and Medical Centre. He is trained in emergency medical services and caters to all kinds of medical emergencies especially respiratory and cardiology. He is a committed physician who enjoys working with the students and the local community, and will do everything he can to make your program a meaningful learning experience.

Local Coordinator
The local coordinator for the "Rural/Urban Himalayan Rotation in India" and the "Introduction to Traditional Medicine" program is Mayank Vats. He will offer support services and has extensive experience handling overseas students from US, UK and Canada. Being on the ground he will offer expertise and perspective that is unmatched and ever present to deal with any eventuality and provide full support and guidance for the duration of your trip.

India Coordinator
CFHI's India Coordinator, Hema Pandey, coordinates activities for all CFHI programs in India. She has been instrumental in establishing CFHI's growing presence in India, developing new program sites and researching CFHI's growth potential in-country. With more than 10 years of experience in the health field, Hema has handled a wide range of projects for government and non-government organizations in India, including the Indian government's Year of Scientific Awareness (YSA) 2004, which highlighted needs and issues related to disaster preparedness, health & nutrition, and soil & water conservation.