The Charities Advisory Trust, a UK registered charity, has joined with local organisations in India to offer medical students the opportunity to spend their elective in an alternative setting.

he Medical Student Electives (MSE) programme was devised by the Charities Advisory Trust’s director, Hilary Blume, to provide medical students in the west with a practical, unique opportunity to see an integrated health programme in a poor rural community.

MSE are set up so you feel confident and comfortable. The placements are well thought through to make the most of the four weeks spent there. Accommodation and food are arranged. You will be met and transport organised for you, to make your arrival and first few days more comfortable. By the time you leave you will feel so at home in India, you could tackle anything.

This programme provides an ideal opportunity for those interested in health provision in a developing country. It provides a back-to-basics, low-tech, approach to medicine, with the emphasis on preventative care.