HEALTH CARE
OUTSIDE THE
First you must prepare. Find out
what health care concerns may exist in the areas where you are traveling. Go to a travel clinic or visit websites that
provide this information such as:
CDC http://www.cdc.gov/travel/reference.htm
World
Health Organization Site http://www.who.int/ith/
MASTA Online http://www.masta.org/
Travel Doctor site http://www.traveldoctor.co.uk/
MyTravelDoctor http://www.mytraveldoctor.com/
World Travel Health Risk http://165.193.138.24/wthrisk.htm
Shoreland www.tripprep.com/
RX Med http://www.rxmed.com/b.main/b4.travel/b4.travel.html
If immunizations are required, be certain to
receive them far enough in advance to be effective. Purchase those supplies
which are recommended such as insect protection, water purifier, or any
recommended drugs for treatment of travelers' diarrhea, jet lag, etc. If you
can not get these products at home, check out websites such as http://www.travmed.com/
Health Care System
It is very likely that the health care
system of your new host country is different than home. While a
physician’s office may be the primary source of care in the
If you are a student and have access to a
University health care facility, this is usually your best source of health
care. It is generally more accustomed to working with internationals
Quality of Care
This is a more sensitive issue as your
standards may very well be different from those of your hosts. Try to identify
a local health care provider either in advance or upon arrival, before you have
a problem. Again, the best resources are likely your advisors or the medical
assistance number that may be associated with your health insurance plan. A
local embassy can also provide helpful information
Most importantly, remember that you and your
health are significant and that it is imperative that you ask questions if you
do not understand a situation or think you have not received
appropriate care. Be prepared to speak up!