All McGaw residents are eligible to apply. Approval by the appropriate Program Director and GME Office is required. Good-quality elective rotations in primary care, internal medicine, pediatrics, and women's health in underserved communities/resource-limited settings are considered. All rotations must first be approved by the resident’s Program Director, the Associate Dean of GME, a minimum of 45 days prior to travel and prior to the application for funding. Rotations and other projects must be a minimum of four weeks in duration and take place in a resource-limited setting with a medically underserved population.
The Global Health Initiative does not support travel expenses for research projects, conference presentations, or away-rotations in high-income countries. All rotations must be supervised by a qualified medical professional as determined by the GME Office.
It is the policy of the McGaw Medical Center that house staff is not eligible to do away-rotations in countries with U.S. State Department Travel Advisory Levels 3 or 4 due to safety concerns. In the case of specific partner institutions located in countries with travel advisories with whom Northwestern University has an established relationship and a signed memorandum of understanding, an appeal to the Feinberg Study Abroad Risk Assessment Committee may be made, however there is not guarantee this will be granted as appeals will be judged on a case-by-case basis. This committee, jointly run by FSM and the Center for Global Health, considers proposals reviews safety and security issues, and assesses the academic merit of the program(s). This committee will make final decisions regarding international rotations for all FSM students, residents and fellows. Independent student proposals in any country with a U.S. State Department Travel Advisory Level 3 or 4 will not be considered. Countries with Travel Advisory Level 2 will be considered, however final approval by the Center for Global Health and the Vice Dean of Education (students) or Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education (residents/fellows) is required.
McGaw residents and fellows interested in elective rotations abroad should apply directly to McGaw using the instructions on McGaw's Elective Rotations website (http://mcgaw.northwestern.edu/directors/resources/elective-gme-rotation%20.html).
Residents are required to apply at least 45 days prior to travel. Late applications may not be considered.
Awards for McGaw residents are up to $2,000.
Approved funding applications will be accompanied by an award letter that outlines allowable expenses to be reimbursed after travel. All receipts and reimbursement documentation must be submitted to IPHAM within 15 days of the traveler's return to Chicago or the award will be forfeit. Awards may not be paid as stipends through Payroll or cover a resident’s time and effort and cannot be paid in advance of travel due to HRSA regulations on salaries for graduate medical trainees.
Allowable expense categories for reimbursement:
- Market rate international ticket – coach class
- Program fees (i.e. Any required fees paid to host-institution)
- Immunization and travel medicine
- Visa application fees
- Housing expenses at destination
- Per diem (at discretion of the Department)
GHI awards will NOT cover local fares (i.e. taxis, public transportation) or other transportation expenses in the U.S. or abroad nor will they reimburse for medical supplies, individual meal expenses, or unplanned medical expenses. Each award will be made up to a maximum dollar amount to be reimbursed after travel is complete. If additional receipts are submitted with totals that exceed the maximum award amount, the additional expenses will not be reimbursed.
Residents should be prepared to submit the following forms and documentation within two weeks of returning to Chicago to their designated contact in the Residency Program.
- Receipts - Award recipients will be expected to submit documentation and receipts for the expense categories listed. Expenses cannot be reimbursed before travel and cannot be reimbursed without proper documentation. Examples of proper documentation include a printed flight itinerary with dates of travel and total cost paid in addition to round-trip boarding passes from the airline. Residents may request a letter from the host institution outlining program fees and submit receipts for housing, immunization, and visa expenses. Residents may scan and email copies of receipts for reimbursement. If you have additional questions, please contact your Program Coordinator.
- Visitor’s Expense Report
- W9 Form – The W9 only needs to be submitted if the payee has received a reimbursement from Northwestern University in the past.
- All receipts and reimbursement documentation must be submitted to IPHAM within 15 days of the traveler's return to Chicago or the award will be forfeit.
It is strongly recommended that residents obtain supplemental travel insurance prior to travel. Northwestern University recommends GeoBlue Insurance to cover unexpected medical expenses and emergency medical services while abroad. Please also submit the Personal Health Form to natalie.sheneman@northwestern.edu.
Drum Cussac provides excellent security advice and services and is the preferred vendor for medical evacuation. It is also recommended to enroll in the U.S. State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program.