About the project

Our plan is drive an ambulance a 9,200km from Oxford to Ulaanbaatar (the Mongolian capital), and donate it to the local health services. We will then undertake an 8-week medical placement in the nearby district hospitals. As part of our placements we will offer English lessons to the doctors we are working with, in lieu of payments to the hospital which are typical for electives. During weekends off we’ll explore the Gobi Desert, visit Mongolia’s Western Lakes, and go trekking in the nearby Khan Khentii National Park.

What is a medical elective?

An Elective is an opportunity available to all UK Medical Students in their final year to practice medicine in a new environment. This may involve travelling abroad to learn about health care in a low income setting, or exploring a field of medicine beyond the Medical School curriculum. A well-planned and ethically sound elective can do a great deal of good for the hosting institution, and should be an inspiring and formative experience in a young doctor’s early career.

Ethics

The best electives combine a spirit of adventure and discovery with ethical sensitivity. We want to contribute more to Mongolia than we take from it.

Charity

First and foremost, this elective is for charity. Our fundraising efforts will support Medics2Mongolia and GoHelp, the charities described above. We also hope to raise awareness of the shortfall of emergency vehicles in Central Asia through our fundraising.

Teaching

One of the unique opportunities that Medics2Monglia provide is the opportunity to teach English to Mongolian doctors. Knowledge of English is a useful skill for access to medical literature, teaching materials, and international communication. Whereas many hospitals ask for payment to host elective students, we will be adding value by teaching instead.

Exchange

The medical school at Oxford hosts elective students itself, and gives preference to students from those countries which Oxford medics have visited. We want to encourage Mongolian medical students to visit Oxford on elective, and perhaps establish a regular exchange programme.

Research

We are all interested in and have experience in medical research, and we are planning a research project about the use of medical apps in resource-poor settings.