• What is SCOPE?
• How can I take part in SCOPE?
• Who may NOT participate in IFMSA Professional Exchange Program?
• Which countries do participate in IFMSA Professional Exchange program?
• What is the aim of SCOPE?
• What kind of clerkship can I choose from?
• How long does clerkship last?
• What is the official language of clerkships?
• If I undergo a clerkship abroad, is academic recognition available?
• Will I get salary for a clerkship?
• What are the responsilibities of exchange students?
• What are the elective requirements?
• What are the clerkship daily routine?
• What disciplines are available?
• When can I apply for IFMSA Professional Exchange Program?
• Do I need to have insurance during the clerkship period?
• Does it cost anything?
• When will I know more details about my clerkship abroad?
• What if I have more questions about SCOPE?
• What if my Local Exchange Officer can' t reply my questions?

The Standing Committee On Professional Exchange (SCOPE) is the first created IFMSA Standing Committee. It constitutes the largest exchange program within IFMSA and it has been running since the organisation's foundation in 1951.

SCOPE is the most effective mechanism through which medical students can study internationally through IFMSA. In 2001, over 6 600 international exchanges were made and 78 countries took part in SCOPE.

SCOPE has been in operation since IFMSA's founding, and it has always been the backbone of IFMSA since its foundation. After World War II, there was a common feeling among medical students on surpassing borders; this was the main reason to set up this exchange program, which has been the core and the backbone of IFMSA since its beginning.

Participation in the IFMSA Professional Exchange Program is open to medical students who must be a member of one of our National Member Organizations.

If you would like to apply for the IFMSA Professional Exchange Program you must apply through your National Member Organization.

If you are from a country where IFMSA is already represented, you should contact them. Please contact your Local/National Exchange Officer who will provide you with all necessary information how to apply for IFMSA Professional Exchange Program.

If your country is not represented here, maybe you want to be the first to create a medical student's organisation and apply for IFMSA membership. In that case, contact us, and IFMSA Secretary General will inform you on the procedures and also address you to IFMSA Newcomers Task Force.

The IFMSA Professional Exchange Program is eligible just for medical students. We do not accept doctors for IFMSA Professional Exchange Program.

In 2001 78 countries were involved in SCOPE. Please check our National Member Organization list at www.ifmsa.org/members/nmos.php

The SCOPE mission is to promote cultural understanding and co-operation amongst medical students and all health professionals, through the facilitation of international student exchanges.

The exchange program offers students a unique educational and cultural experience in addition to the regular medical curriculum. It also helps to broaden the students understanding of medical and social conditions in different countries.

The aim of a clerkship is NOT:

• To provide an opportunity for the purpose of earning money

• A holiday

• Intended to be a permanent career placement or recruitment opportunity in another country

• A vehicle for any person to permanently leave their country and territory

There are two types of clerkships offered in SCOPE:

• A Pre-clinical Clerkship: is defined as the stay of a student working or studying in a pre-clinical department at a medical faculty/school or hospital.
• A Clinical Clerkship: is defined as the stay of a student in a clinical department of a hospital or clinic, or attached to a general practitioner.

Besides that, clerkships are divided between BILATERAL and UNILATERAL.

• Bilateral contract: IFMSA member, participated in SCOPE is supposed to host student from another organization for free of charge. The student of hosted country will be also accepted free of charge to his/her desired country. Bilateral exchanges are the basis of the IFMSA exchange program.
• Unilateral contract: Only the students from one organization will take part in the program. Special conditions may be specified in the contract form. Student should pay all expenses to the host organization.

The duration of a clerkship is four weeks

Clerkships are given in English or in the language of the country. The Exchange student has to show the adequate knowledge of English language or the native language of the host country or the language agreed upon in order to carry out the clerkship, otherwise he/she can be refused in the host country and excluded from exchange program.

Academic recognition is available for clerkships varying from country to country. Check it with your university.

Clerkship, is purely educational for the student and he/she will not receive a salary for it.

Please have a look at exchange student responsibilities page at www.ifmsa.org/scope.

Please check the Exchange conditions of each country at IFMSA SCOPE exchange conditions database at www.ifmsa.org/scope.

During the clerkship student will live cheek to cheek with foreign medical students, he/she will deal with a different health care system, and will learn from foreign tutors.

Exchangees will meet a doctor at the desired department who, later, acts as your mentor. Depending on the level of student's knowledge he/she can participate in daily health care delivery.

Clerkships can be offered in all clinical and pre-clinical fields of medicine. Please check the Exchange conditions of your desired country at www.ifmsa.org/scope.

Please contact your Local/National Exchange Officer who will inform you about deadlines and the application procedure.

Proof of health insurance must be provided before the student can start his/her clerkship. Some countries also require a certificate of malpractice insurance. The Exchangee is responsible for his/her own health/liability insurance. The insurance has to be arranged by the Exchangee before leaving his/her country. The Exchangee is responsible for paying any costs in case of illness or accident.

IFMSA does not provide health insurance or malpractice insurance to students.

The clerkship application fee varying from country to country. The application fee includes boarding, lodging, and tuition for a one-month rotation. Please contact your Local/National Exchange Officer for more deatails.

For both bilateral and unilateral exchanges students should cover the insurance, travel expenses and pocket money by themselves.

You will receive the Card of Acceptance and all information regarding your clerkship at least 6-8 weeks before the beginning of the clerkship. If you don' t receive Card of Acceptance till that time, contact your Local Exchange Officer, who is the responsible for your exchange on the local level.

Contact your Local Exchange Officer, the representative at your School of Medicine.

The IFMSA SCOPE Director would love to hear from you if you have any questions.