Global Health Inititative Travel Preparation
TRAVEL CHECKLIST
HEALTH INSURANCE
Students are required to have health insurance coverage while traveling abroad. The WSU Boonshoft School of Medicine insurance coverage remains in effect while students are traveling internationally. If you have a different insurance plan, please make sure your plan covers you abroad.
Evacuation Insurance
Evacuation insurance is required for international travel. This insurance provides emergency assistance worldwide and allows you to leave the country easily in the event of an emergency while you are traveling. Many insurance companies do not incorporate this feature into their plans and some travel abroad programs encourage you to purchase evacuation insurance from them. As Wright State students, we are required to obtain evacuation insurance from the University Center for International Education (UCIE) located in E190 Student Union (next to the bookstore). In order to get your ISOS insurance card, you will need to fill out the application on the UCIE website (see link below).
For questions, contact Joy Wanderi in the UCIE office at (937) 775-5748 or 3106 or joy.wanderi@wright.edu.
Extended Health Insurance
The International SOS insurance provided through Wright State doesn’t cover hospitalization or extensive health care in the event of an emergency. Joy Wanderi, from the UCIE office, recommends purchasing extended health insurance through Wallach Insurance. This insurance is just $9 per week and should cover anything that might not be covered on another health insurance plan. To purchase the insurance, go to Wallach Insurance. Once you get to the site, if you are 29 years old or less, please click on “HealthCare Global 2000” and if you are 30 years of age or older, please purchase “HealthCare Global.” Once purchased, please send the confirmation email to Monica Ratliff, the WSU education abroad advisor, at monica.ratiff@wright.edu so it can be placed in your file to keep the university informed should something happen on your trip.
Combined Travel & Health Insurance
There are hundreds of circumstances that could cause you to cancel your trip, return home early or need to seek emergency medical treatment while traveling abroad, and this can all amount to a large expense for the traveler.
“On one occasion when I was traveling to Peru, I got stuck in Dallas for two days due to a weather delay that grounded all flights, and my team missed our connecting flight in Lima through a different airline. Neither airline would be flexible with my team, and we had to scramble to repurchase our connecting flights and rearrange our itinerary. It ended up costing us $10,000 more than was planned for the whole team, which would have been completely covered by purchasing travel insurance," Jon Stofer, M.D., M.P.H., '18, reported after a recent trip.
There are two primary companies that have been used by students in the past. Travel Guard insurance offered by AIG or Berkshire Hathaway is suggested. Information is available on the Travel Guard website. This insurance is both travel and extended health insurance that can be used to cover a variety of issues you might encounter while traveling. Most travel agents can reserve this insurance when flights are booked if you check with them first. You can get more information and request a quote for your next trip by downloading this Travel Guard document.
TRAVEL WARNINGS
Medical students planning on traveling internationally are encouraged to review Wright State University's policy guidelines to ensure that they are informed of WSU's involvement in their trips before departure. In addition, it is advised that students check to make sure the country of interest is not on the U.S. State Department Travel Warning List before making additional plans. The website provides a concise list of the countries that are currently under travel warnings along with the date the warning was issued. Students can refer to this link for a quick update.
The University Policy on international travel is 9510.10. Most pertinent to medical students are sections that require medical students to obtain travel insurance from the University Center of International Education (UCIE) and to obtain approval from the WSU provost for traveling to countries issued with a "travel warning." University Policy 9510.10 reads as follows:
9510.10 International Travel
- Since the University Center for International Education (UCIE) has direct access to an emergency medical, evacuation, and repatriation travel insurance and related information, the UCIE must be notified in writing of any international travel prior to departure. This insurance is available at no cost to all faculty, staff, and students who travel abroad on university business or a Wright State sponsored program. An insurance card will be given to travelers by the UCIE prior to departure. Access to an insurance representative will be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week anywhere in he world in the case of emergency. Access to clinics, prescriptions, and evacuation and repatriation are also available through this coverage. Through proper insurance registration, travelers will automatically be registered with the local United State Consulate, as recommended by the United State Department of State.
With respect to 9510.10a, any payments made to, or on the behalf of, the traveler which exceeds the limit of insurance coverage or are given as an emergency cash advance are to be fully reimbursed to Wright State.
- Anyone participating in an education abroad program (i.e., traditional study abroad, exchange programs, internships abroad, or international service learning) must attend the UCIE's Pre-Departure Orientation prior to travel. This includes any faculty or staff member who will be supervising the trip.
- Additional international health insurance must be purchased for any student, faculty, or staff member participating on a Wright State education abroad program.
- Travel to countries with a United States Department of State "travel warning" must be approved by the Office of the Provost prior to departure.
- ALL federally funded travel must comply with the Federal Travel Regulation, and the U.S. Fly American Act found at Federal Travel Regulations; a United States flag carrier MUST be used for this travel. Therefore, all foreign travel on grants must be approved in advance by The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (RSP). Use Banner account code 746900 to complete the FOAP on all Travel Authorization (TA) forms and submit the TA to RSP for approval with the flight itinerary. Upon returning from the foreign travel, the Travel Expense Report must be approved again by RSP.
Unite for Site Global Health Modules
-
Online Global Health Course
- Module 1: What Are Best Practice "Gold Standard" Principles?
- Module 2: International Development and Capacity Building
- Module 3: Partnering with Local Communities
- Module 4: Build Effective, Sustainable Programs With Measurable Results
- Module 5: How To Eliminate Patient Barriers To Care
- Module 6: How To Ensure High Quality Medical Care
- Module 7: Ethical, Quality Volunteering
- Module 8: The Significant Harm of Worst Practices
- Module 9: Donating Equipment
- Module 10: Local Staff Compensation
- Module 11: Support Local Doctors To Help Eliminate Brain Drain
-
Volunteer Ethics and Professionalism Online Course
-
Cultural Competency Online Course
- Module 1: Culture and the Volunteer
- Module 2: Overview of Cultural Adjustment and Culture Shock
- Module 3: Coping With Culture Shock and Emotional Feelings
- Module 4: Slower Pace and "Elastic Time"
- Module 5: Language Barriers
- Module 6: Working With Translators
- Module 7: Cultural Differences and Cultural Understanding
- Module 8: The Importance of Social Etiquette
- Module 9: Cultural Beliefs About Service
- Module 10: Cultural Beliefs About Medical Care
- Module 11: Trust
- Module 12: Reverse Culture Shock
