The Beit Trust's Medical Elective Bursaries are available for students undertaking medical electives in Southern Africa between 1 April 2012 and 1 April 2013.

This is the seventh year the competition has run and up to a dozen bursaries, usually of between £600-£800 per student, may be offered to selected applicants. In order to be eligible you must undertake a minimum of six weeks elective in Zambia, Malawi or Zimbabwe as part of your course.

Electives are a great opportunity for you to experience for yourself how healthcare is delivered in rural and resource-poor Southern Africa. You can help make a difference in these hospitals and to the lives of those living in the local communities that the hospitals serve.

Previous medical students who have been awarded a bursary by the Beit Trust have gained a great insight into health, healthcare and the practice of medicine in Southern Africa.

The deadline for receipt of applications is Friday 24 February 2012. Successful applicants will be informed by Monday 19 March 2012 and, on return to the UK, will need to submit an illustrated report of no more than 10 sides of A4 on their time and experiences in Africa, as well as some proof of the costs of their trip.

The application form is now available to download:
Beit Trust Application details 2012.pdf
Beit Trust Application details 2012.doc
Quotes from previous students:

'During my time in Malawi, I learnt a considerable amount about managing a hospital: staffing issues, how to prioritise and ration resources, and the far reaching consequences of the relationships between money, politics and health'.

'Despite the sometimes heartbreaking consequences of the lack of resources, working in such an environment was undoubtedly beneficial on a personal level'.

'One of the most valuable aspects of working in such rural areas was appreciating the far-reaching consequences of the factors influencing healthcare seeking behaviours e.g. religion, geography and traditional beliefs'.

'I was able to get involved in some surgical procedures, such as Caesarean sections and debridement of dead tissue, as well as some gynaecological operations which was a great experience'.

'Thank you for the amazing experience you helped to give me. The things I learned during my elective, both about medicine and about myself, will carry on throughout my medical career'.

 

More information on the Beit Trust can be found on its website