Travel Study

These are resources for students who have been accepted into a faculty-led trip so that they can prepare for a safe, productive, and educational experience.

• Secure a passport
• Determine if you need a visa
• Enroll in TravelSafe
• Research your immunization needs
• Acquire health insurance with worldwide claims coverage
• Familiarize yourself with safety precautions
• Review the ethical challenges of short-term global health training
• Read about competencies for short-term global health training

Faculty members and students interested in academic travel may choose to collaborate with a third-party vendor to arrange logistics. The preferred partner is Child Family Health International (CFHI), which has been vetted for health, safety, and security.

Students applying to CFHI should use the Academic Partnership code MGHIHPappfee, which will waive the application fee.

CFHI's Global Health Education Programs are field experiences often referred to as global health internships, clinical electives, away rotations, service-learning, global health scholars programs or externships. They combine exposure to clinical practices, public health, social services, social determinants of health, culture, human resources for health, and much more to provide a reflective, transformative Global Health educational experience.

Offered in Latin America, Africa, Asia, and the United States, CFHI programs immerse you within a global community to see health, life, and culture through the community lens. Programs offer first-hand experiences alongside local physicians and public health experts and combine instruction, experience, service, and reflection, to create a model that supports physicians, clinical sites and communities abroad.

CFHI has over 40 programs in 11 countries, open to all with an interest in global health. Programs are tailored to each participant's educational level and interests and lay the foundation for a career in global health, furthering your understanding of health care and development in communities who are struck by poverty, resource limitations, and a multitude of challenges leading to high burdens of illness, death and reduced quality of life.

To be designated as Institute sponsored, student travel must meet two criteria:

• An Institute faculty member must accept responsibility for seeking departmental and school approval, designing learning objectives, and implementing a risk management and emergency preparedness plan. The faculty leader or a designee approved by the academic program must accompany students to each location visited.
• Students must travel under the auspices of an approved course. The course must pass the regular departmental or Faculty Senate review process to verify that it contains sufficient academic content.

Students whose travel is designated as Institute-sponsored are covered by insurance and travel emergency assistance serviced under Partners HealthCare TravelSafe (Partners' sign in required) program, managed by Partners Risk and Insurance Services.

Depending on the nature of the travel activity, insurance coverages include medical professional liability, business travel accident, medical assistance, evacuation coverage, general liability, and security assistance.

All travelers must have personal health insurance that covers worldwide claims.

To participate in Institute-sponsored travel, students must meet the following requirements:

• Sign an acknowledgment of risk form
• Provide proof of personal health insurance with worldwide claims coverage
• Obtain medical clearance along with documented mandatory immunizations
• Participate in pre-departure training on safety, ethics, and professionalism
• Secure passport and visa, if needed
• Pay full amount of enrollment fees determined by faculty leader
• Obey the Guidelines for Conduct in the Student Handbook

The Institute may deny participation if a student does not complete the above actions in a satisfactory and timely manner.

In accordance with the regulations in the Student Handbook, approved student organizations may fundraise and seek charitable donations on behalf of the Institute.

Funds raised using the Institute name may not be used for personal travel expenses.

Use of the Institute’s name in any fundraising materials must receive prior approval by the Office of Student and Alumni Services.

• Partners TravelSafe(Partners' sign in required) for information on business-related travel
• Worldcue Planner(Worldcue sign in required) for global travel health, safety, and security information
• BlueCross BlueShield Global(BlueCross/BlueShield sign in required) for Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance holders
• Square Mouth to compare travel insurance providers
• U.S. Department of State travel alerts and warnings
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention travel health notices
• MGH Traveler’s Advice and Immunization Center for pre-trip medical evaluation
• Travelers’ Rapid Health Information Portal(link is external) for health advice
• Emergency preparedness tips from Partners Risk and Insurance Services
• Traveler Advice on Avoiding Violent Crime
• Travel Preparation Advice (with Wallet Card)
• Forum on Education Abroad
• Center for Global Health at Massachusetts General Hospital