HSF SUPPORTS OVERSEAS MEDICAL ELECTIVES FOR QUEEN’S STUDENTS

05 April 2019

The Hospital Saturday Fund (HSF) has recently awarded £10,000 to Queen’s University of Belfast Foundation to fund overseas medical electives in 2019.

Paul Jackson, HSF Chief Executive and Dave Thomas, Trustee of the Fund joined staff from Queen’s and five of the 2018 bursary recipients at an informal reception in the Old Staff Common Room at the University on 27 March.

The funding will enable 10 final year medical students to support some of the core costs of placements, which may otherwise prevent them from choosing a placement overseas. 

The medical elective is a compulsory attachment, with 4th year medical students not permitted to progress to final year without the satisfactory completion of the six week elective module, which commences at the end of June and runs until the start of August.

Helen Carrick, Head of Major Gifts at Queen’s who received the HSF gift on behalf of the Queen’s Foundation, explained the importance of philanthropic support for medical electives. “The continued and generous support of the Hospital Saturday Fund at this time is hugely appreciated and very important.

“Due to the increased financial burden associated with an overseas elective, many students have to opt to do their elective here in the UK. Whilst this is still valuable, the backing of the HSF helps to remove financial barriers and provides opportunities for inspirational students that they might not otherwise enjoy to undertake an elective overseas.”

Every year 240-275 Queen’s students undertake a medical elective, gaining essential skills and perspective on national and international healthcare practices.

Catherine Kerr (2nd from left, 3rd row) spent her elective at the Kiwoko Mission Hospital in Uganda. Kiwoko is a community hospital affiliated with the Church of Uganda, in the Nakaseke District in central Uganda 80 miles north-west of Kampala.

“Uganda, as a country, did not magically transform in the time I spent there, but hearts, minds and lives did transform – including mine,” said Catherine.

“I am thankful for the financial support I received from the Hospital Saturday Fund as without their generosity this period abroad would not have been possible.”

HSF funding not only enables Queen’s medical students to conduct their medical electives overseas but it also allows them to travel to remote places, entrench themselves in the local culture, and access safe accommodation.

The opportunity to conduct electives overseas also helps the University to establish new links with other institutions across the world, creating future elective options for students to broaden their horizons, shape potential career paths, and gain invaluable life experiences.

Among the destinations of other Queen’s medical students supported by the HSF were Guatemala, Belize and Australia. Eden Gurung undertook her elective in the Manipal Teaching Hospital in Nepal and at the Health and Hope Hospital in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

“It was inspirational to see the team work synergistically to save lives,” said Ms Gurung. “It was a very empowering and proud moment to realise that I am also a part of that profession, which can make such an impact.

“I would like to extend my appreciation to the Holiday Saturday Fund for supporting and encouraging a medical student such as myself to further both my professional and personal experiences.”

The impact on individual HSF bursary recipients is often transformational. Making the trip to New Zealand for her elective was Katherine Garnett. “I thoroughly enjoyed my time in the renal department in Auckland and felt privileged to have the opportunity to learn from the renal physicals and surgeons, particularly those working in the regional transplant group,” she said.

“Renal is still a career I am a considering, and this placement has floated the idea of transplant surgery as a possible career path.

“Overall, I am so thankful I took the opportunity to undertake my elective in New Zealand; the hospital placement was rewarding, exciting and challenging, the country was beautiful and the people were some of the kindest and most helpful I have ever met.”

The Hospital Saturday Fund supports registered health charities, hospices and medical organisations through grants for medical projects, care, research or medical training within the United Kingdom, Isle of Man, Channel Islands and Republic of Ireland.

To find out about supporting medical research or scholarships at Queen’s visit the Development and Alumni Relations Office website or contact Teresa Sloan, Head of Health Fundraising, telephone +44 (0)28 9097 5394. 

General enquiries about this news story to Gerry Power, Communications Officer, Development and Alumni Relations Office at Queen’s; tel: +44 (0)28 9097 5321.

Caption: Pictured receiving the cheque from Dave Thomas, HSF Trustee is Helen Carrick, Head of Major Gifts at the Development and Alumni Relations Office at Queen’s.  

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