Makerere University – Kampala, Uganda

Northwestern University partners with Makerere University College of Health Sciences (MakCHS) located ON Mulago Hill 3 kilometers from Kampala, Uganda. The campus includes 4 schools (School of Medicine, School of Biomedical Sciences, School of Health Sciences and School of Public Health). In addition, Infectious Diseases Institute and the main teaching hospital of Mulago is located to the same campus. Other training hospitals are Kawempe hospital, Kirundi Hospital and many Community Based Education Research Services (COBERS) sites around the country both in urban and rural areas.

First- and fourth-year medical students are invited to apply to complete a rotation at Makerere, and there may also be opportunities for medical students to pursue research projects in global health.

Dates: M1s may visit during the summer only, while M3s and M4s may complete a rotation at various times during the year depending on their schedules
Length of rotation: Four weeks
Location: Kampala, Uganda
Language requirement: None
Student level: M1s, M3s, M4s, MPH students, residents, fellows
How to apply: Complete the online application
Rotation areas: M1s are required to divide their time between Mulago Hospital in Kampala and one of several district hospitals in rural areas outside of the capital and may gain clinical exposure in cardiology, family planning, pediatrics and family and community medicine rotations; M4s have additional rotations available, including infectious disease, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology and oncology

Medical Education Exchange

Feinberg students have the opportunity to complete a medical rotation at Mulago hospital in addition to visiting at district hospitals within one day's drive from Kampala. Visiting medical students are able to observe chronic and infectious diseases and treatments that are not commonly seen in the U.S. Fourth-year students generally spend approximately five hours a day, five days a week in Mulago hospital. First-year students may have rotations in Mulago hospital for a maximum of two weeks and are limited to cardiology, Infectious Diseases and pediatrics rotations. They spend the remainder of their time participating in the Community-Based Education and Research Service (COBERS) program at one of two district hospitals In Kayunga Uganda, and work in teams with Ugandan medical students on various public health projects. M4s will have many more clinical rotations open to them. A maximum of six Feinberg students may visit Makerere University during any one rotation period. The dress code at the hospital calls for conservative attire.

Students may have the opportunity to join Ugandan medical students in Makerere's problem-based learning curriculum as well as participate in COBERS, which allows students to exercise social responsibility through service while learning about health-seeking behaviors, the social and economic context of rural life, as well as the value of strategic partnerships and community participation. Under the supervision of faculty-linked tutor, medical students spend several weeks working in inter-professional teams and with community healthcare workers on a specific public health and/or health education projects based out of a district hospital in a rural setting.

Helpful Links

Accommodations

Space permitting, students may stay in the international students dormitory, Edge House, at Makerere University and at a student house near one of the district hospitals when outside of Kampala.

Fees

Students are required to pay the following fees (300USD) to Makerere University for a four-week clinical rotation. These are estimates and are subject to change. Makerere University may charge additional fees depending on the specific hospital and program that hosts the student.

Housing: Approximately $700-$900, depending on length of stay and dorm
International student registration fee, coordination and transportation fees: $300
COBES program (rural rotation): $150
Intra district transport: $250
Meals (1 month): $504

Evaluations

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Ceppie Merry, MBBChBAO, adjunct professor at Feinberg and lecturer and clinical researcher at Makerere University, talks about doing a rotation in a developing country: